JUSTIN

We finally moved the last box in our new home. It took five months to find it and have it renovated the way we wanted it. Brian didn’t want us to buy a house until we loved it. We found a house just outside of Chicago, but not far from Hawthorne-Kinney. Hannah was sad to move away from her friends, but Trina was spending time more time with Travis and he promised Hannah would see Trina as often as they wanted.

Miles quit his job, yelling that he wouldn’t work for someone with unstable people in their lives. I was honestly relieved he quit, he really thought he could convince me to get Brian out of my life.

It started when we came back and Cynthia managed to get my house cleaned up. I didn’t see the reason to rent a house when the security system had been upgraded. We decided to stay until we found what we wanted. Miles decided that he would try to corner me and tell me all the reasons I should walk away from the bullshit that comes with someone like Brian. I let him know that I really didn’t like all the bullshit that came with living next door to him.

“Brian didn’t invite Lindsay to your house, you did. How is that Brian’s fault?” I tell him.

“She’s the mother of his child, don’t you think that says something about him? He let a crazy woman have his child. I heard all about Brian and his lifestyle, and how you were treated like his whore the whole time he knew you.” He tells me.

“Yet you believe the crazy woman, what does that say about you?” I tell him.

“I talked to her other victim, he’s the one that told me all about you. He also told me that you didn’t mean anything to Brian. I would think his best friend knows what kind of person Brian is, better than the kid Brian liked to use.” He tells me.

“You and Michael should really talk about your delusions together, I’m sure a good shrink could write an excellent paper on both of you. I never saw you as anything but the father of Trina. I never thought of you as anything in my life. If you thought I wanted more, I’ll apologize to you for anything you interpreted as me wanting more from you. Although I don’t feel there was anything in the time we knew each other that shows me, I did anything to warrant you thinking that. It’s the same problem Michael seems to have with Brian, he somehow wants to believe that Brian changing anything in his life should have been for him.” I tell him.

“Michael doesn’t want Brian, he told me Brian never wanted anything but to fuck any guy who offers. He really feels sorry for you, because he knows his friend well enough to know when he gets bored, you’ll be the one who gets hurt. Michael told me that you were never enough for Brian.” He tells me.

“No, actually I told Michael the morning after Justin and I met that there was no such thing as enough, because with Justin there never will be. I really have to wonder how desperate you are, if you’re talking to and believing a guy who thinks one day I’ll want him. Justin tends to be the nice one in this marriage, I happen to be the asshole who will break your fucking arm if you lay your hands on my husband again.” Brian tells Miles.

“I’m going to ask that you stay in your yard, because I really hate the sound of bones breaking.” I tell him, smiling.

“Maybe Trina would be better off finding new friends. I really don’t want her getting hurt because you can’t see who you're with.” He tells me.

I really wanted to know why Brian didn’t fire him after that. Brian told me unless Miles did something that affected his job performance, there wasn’t a reason to let our personal lives affect business. It took Miles a week to quit. Brian continued to be professional around him, Miles apparently couldn’t do it without trying to take jabs at Brian, using anything Michael was telling him. Brian even offered to move Miles to the Pittsburgh office, so Miles and his best friend Michael could bitch together in person on their own time, not Hawthorne-Kinney’s time. It took two trips to HR before Miles left, telling everyone about the unstable person running this company. All the other employees told Miles that the only unstable person they saw was him.

Michael, ever the pain in the ass he is, dropped the charges against Lindsay, thinking somehow he was the only one who had a reason to put her ass in jail. Carl had to explain to Michael that the kidnapping, breaking and entering, and child endangerment charges were the ones for which she’d be doing time. The assault charges weren’t really a large part of it, and would likely only have put her on probation and in anger management classes. Michael was a bit pissed that hurting him wasn’t a big deal. He tried to call Brian for sympathy, then his mother, and then Ted. He didn’t get that none of them wanted to listen proved that Michael was still Michael.

Lindsay and company, or should I say the Peterson women, were finding out that without Ron footing the bill, all the people who used to kiss their asses were too busy laughing at their downfall from the mansion. Ron agreed to pay for therapy with Alex for Lindsay, but not anything else to help her out of what she had gotten herself into. He filed for divorce from Nancy, and told Lynnette it was time to do what it takes to keep a husband who could support her. Nancy of course, sued him for everything, thinking that being married most of their lives meant that she was entitled to everything. Ron pulled out the prenup they signed when they got married, his family didn’t like Nancy and wouldn’t allow her to take him to the cleaners. Ron allowed her to have alimony in the agreement for divorce, but it didn’t compare to the unlimited money that she was used too.

Lindsay’s new lawyer is trying to plead insanity for her actions, but can’t get Alex to agree. Insanity implies that the person didn’t know what they were doing. The DA told us that there was no way for Lindsay to be able to say she didn’t know what she was doing when she hid at Michael’s apartment. Everything she did showed that she knew she was wrong. Lindsay is still trying to stick to the story that I forced her into the car, saying I’d hurt Gus if she didn’t disappear from his life. During the depositions he kept trying to use it as a reason for why Lindsay might have done what she did, the belief that I was trying to take her baby from her. It was really sad that the man was a lawyer, when that was the best he could come up with. Nancy insisted that Lindsay should at least be allowed bail, but Lindsay had proved to be a flight risk already, so no bail was allowed. Lindsay was getting all the attention that she’d wanted from her mother, and seemed to enjoy every tear Nancy shed trying to get the judge to listen to her. We were told it would be anywhere from six months to a year before this could go to trial, but Lindsay wouldn’t be out until it did.

My mom and Tucker got married a month after he proposed. Tucker’s family all came, and welcomed my mom and us to the family. It was so different from the way my father’s family acts. They didn’t even blink at Brian and I being married, or the fact that we had two children. Tucker told me his family was raised to believe that any form of intolerance was bullshit. We were invited to visit them anytime we wanted to come to Pittsburgh.

My first show went well and I received a few invitations to show at other galleries. I let them all know that I wanted time to work on new things first. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to show my work, but that I wanted time to be with my husband and kids. Brian didn't question me on that decision, he told me I knew what I wanted and when I wanted to do it. Smart man I married.

I went into the bathroom and closed the door. I pulled the test out of where I hid it, trying to figure out when he was planning to tell me. I have a feeling he's still shocked to see the positive on it. It about knocked me on my ass when I found it. I always assumed it would be me, not him.

BRIAN

I finished putting up boxes and had to sit down. I was just glad not to throw up again. Emmett and Ted were busy talking about Mel’s impending motherhood. I was too busy trying not to throw up at all the things I never realized were part of this shit. I also need to tell Justin we’re going to be fathers again. I wanted to talk to a doctor first, because I’m, damn it, closing in on forty, which means that I need to get more tests than Justin would. He seemed to want to be the one that carried the baby if we decided, but nature decided for us. It’s been hard not to touch my stomach all the time, but I didn’t want to believe there was actually something in there.

“Hey Brian, can you help me?” Brandon asks me.

I get up and follow him into the kitchen. He grabbed some ginger ale and handed it to me. Then pulled out some single packets of crackers and gave them to me. I was a bit confused but drank the ginger ale.

“I heard it helps to calm your stomach, and the crackers will keep you from throwing up if you eat them while still laying in bed.” He tells me.

“How did you know?” I ask him.

“You haven’t been drinking when we all were.” He tells me.

“I need to figure out how to tell Justin, that we managed to accidently get pregnant, again.” I tell him.

“You really think he’d care how it happened? Justin loves children.” He tells me.

“He always seemed to assume that he would be the one having it. I really thought he would too. I wanted to wait until he was ready, Hannah scared him, coming early. I’m not exactly young to be doing this.” I tell him.

“People are having kids at all ages, and they’re born healthy. I get what you mean though, I’m waiting to see if Ted wants to try. I want my mother to have a grandchild that comes from me.” He tells me.

“I’m sure it would send Michael into a tailspin, the biggest Tops showing up pregnant.” I tell him.

“Why would Michael even hear something like that?” Justin asks from the doorway.

“Let me see if Emmett and Ted need help.” Brandon tells me, rushing out to the garage.

“I don’t know Justin, could it be because the test in your hand tells you anything?” I tell him, pulling him to me.

“It tells me that my husband seems to think not telling me is a good idea.” He tells me, pecking my lips.

“I wanted to make sure, those tests aren’t always accurate. We have an appointment to make sure, although the fact that I want to puke all the time seems to be making it rather clear.” I tell him, shaking my head

“If you told me, I would have helped you.” He tells me.

“You’ve always taken care of me, so I didn’t need to tell you. It wouldn’t change what you do any other day.” I tell him.

MICHAEL

I called Jason and Kevin to see if they wanted to go out with me, but like all my other friends, they were both too busy for me. I sat in my shop, ignoring all the calls from Lindsay. The bitch is crazy, thinking that I should go to Chicago and spy for her. I only dropped the charges because her mother and Lynnette paid off my shop for me to do it. It really pissed me off when Carl told me what Lindsay did to me wouldn’t even have gotten jail time for her. The DA told me that if I help Lindsay he could charge me with harboring a fugitive, which is bullshit since I didn’t know she was in trouble when she showed up. I told him she just asked me to tell everyone she’d been at my apartment all night when she arrived, not that she broke into Justin’s house. He asked if I understood she was asking for an alibi for a crime. He looked at me like I was an idiot, when I questioned why that would make me think anything like that.  The only problem is, now Lindsay seems to think we’re friends again, and calls me constantly. I didn’t think the DA was joking about charging me and I wasn’t risking jail time, for Lindsay to call and try to convince me to do what she thought was a good idea. She really thinks I didn’t hear what she said when she tried to kick my ass. She and I want the same thing, and neither of us plans on sharing with the other.

She doesn’t get that Brian will walk away from Justin again. He only stays because Justin had his kid. Brian’s like that, he takes responsibility for his mistakes. He’ll eventually get tired of the bullshit that Justin will likely try to make him do and I’ll be waiting for him to take his place back in Pittsburgh. I also don’t need to go to Chicago, Miles tells me anything I need to know. I liked him because he wasn’t after Brian, but Justin. He really believes that Brian doesn’t deserve Justin, and only wants to help break them up. I think he’s stupid to want the twink, but if it gets Brian to leave Justin, I won’t complain about it. I want Brian to come home to the place he belongs, showing all the guys who the real King is. I wanted to tell the smart asses, who said Justin was really the King since he won the title. Like they didn’t let Justin win, Sheba cheated because she likes Justin. David had as many cheers as Justin did that night, but no, everyone fawns all over fucking Justin. Who thought it would get Brian’s attention? Brian was too busy showing David who was more important to me. Why couldn’t anybody see that, Brian ignored Justin because he was mad at me for staying with David. Miles at least thinks I deserve Brian, I’m not really sure if he sees that as the compliment I took it for.

I was worried when Miles quit his job, because at least he was around to find out things for me. He didn’t see we were better off when he had access to Justin and Brian, but he told me Brian was making it so he didn’t have a choice but to quit. I told Miles that Justin is probably using the bullshit Lindsay used to do with Brian and Mel, playing one off the other. We all knew Lindsay did it because she liked playing games for attention. Justin learned well with that one. I had to be careful since Miles doesn’t like anything that makes Justin sound bad. He’s fine when he hears about what Brian did to show Justin he didn’t care, but he about ripped into me when I implied Justin was really just a slut who fucked anyone.

I closed my shop and walked to Woody’s, stopping when I saw the open sign on Liberty diner. I ran in feeling like my life was going to be how I wanted it. I sat at the counter excited and picked up a menu.

“What the fuck is with a vegan menu?” I screamed running to the window to ask the fry cook.

“We are no longer a Diner, but a cafe.” The owner tells me.

“I don’t fucking care what you call it. I want my cheeseburger and fries.” I tell him.

“We have a wonderful veggie burger, and fries are still on the menu.” A waitress tells me.

I couldn’t stay, it was like the world telling me that nothing would ever be the same. It was the last straw for me. I called Miles to tell him I was coming, Brian is going to stop messing around.

BRIAN

Justin got Emmett to pick up Gus and Hannah from school without having to tell him why. We were going to see if somehow the three tests I took were wrong. I sat in the exam room staring at the posters, hoping I never looked like any of the guys with exploding bellies. I kept eyeing the one where the guy could somehow smile when it looked like he swallowed a couple beach balls. There was nothing I could see to smile about in that picture.

“I only gained ten pounds.” Justin tells me.

“You were probably at your normal weight pregnant.” I complained.

“I never had to buy anything but pants.” He tells me.

“Was that normal?” I ask, praying for it.

“My doctor wanted me to gain more, but I never did.” He says, reading a poster as if it had answers for what went wrong.

“He also didn’t know why what happened with Hannah, happened.” I tell him.

The door opened and Dr. Yates came in, asking me to lay down. He pulled the sonogram over and lifted my shirt. I shivered when he put the gel on my stomach.

“It'll warm up.” He says, turning to switch the monitor on. The twat started laughing.

“It does, remember.” Justin tells me.

“I just want to make sure, the tests are positive, but with men it can indicate other reasons.” Yates tells us.

“Like what?” I ask.

“In your case, this.” He points at a small blob, the turns on the sound. “In other cases, a possibility of cancer. I wanted to make sure you didn't have a recurrence.” He tells me.

“What is he talking about?” Justin asks.

“I had cancer.” I tell him.

The doctor finished the exam, filled out prescriptions and let me know to schedule my next appointment. Justin didn’t say anything after I told him. We got in the car, he turned and looked out the window, staying silent.

“I never told anyone.” I tell him.

“I would have been surprised if you did.” He tells me.

“It felt like my world was ending, and I didn’t want to deal with anyone knowing.” I tell him.

“Is there a chance it could happen again?” He asks.

“There's always the chance, but they removed it all, including my ball. It's why I didn't think I would get pregnant. It was a possible side effect. It runs in my family.” I tell him.

“There's still so much we don’t know, isn’t there?” He asks.

“I know you’re the one I would have told, if I told anyone.” I tell him.

“Why me?” He asks.

“You wouldn’t have let me wallow in self pity. You'd have kicked my ass and made me get on with my life. I'll talk about it if you need me to, but like you said, it turned out with me healthy and that's all I want to remember.” I tell him.

“It's all I need to know.” He tells me, understanding.

MICHAEL

Miles sat around complaining that Brian ruined his life. How he had everything, until Brian showed up. I wanted to tell him Justin came first and fucked up everything, but no one dared say anything bad if it was about fucking Justin. Every time he whined I just pretended to agree, it wasn't easy to listen to him talk about Justin like he was the guy everyone should want. I wanted to ask if he even saw Brian, because if he did, how could he see anyone else but Brian?

He took me to dinner with his friends and then it was all about how the ex is trying to sue for primary custody of the kid, using that he quit his job and had no way to support the kid. He blamed it all on Brian again. I noticed the friends giving each other looks like they were tired of hearing it. Miles really needs to see no one wants to listen to him constantly bitching. I overheard one woman say the ex should go for sole custody, because Miles’s obsessing over a married man wasn’t healthy for the kid. Miles didn’t notice, he was too busy telling everyone the life he could have had.

When we got home, Miles pulled out a bottle, pouring us drinks still going on and on about how he was the one who been here for Justin, yet Brian got what he'd spent years trying to get. I started downing drinks, hoping it would keep me from yelling at him to shut up.

“I would have been perfect for Justin. He wouldn’t ever have doubted how I felt, the way you said that asshole did. I was there to listen and show him I cared about him, how could he think Brian would give him what I could.” He tells me.

“Justin’s a selfish shit who doesn't care who he hurts, as long as he gets what he wants.” I tell him.

“Brian’s the one who waltzed in, blinding Justin. If Brian had just stayed away, Justin and I would have been together.” He argues.

“You’re wrong, because until Justin showed up, Brian never let anyone be more important than me.” I tell him.

“Brian doesn’t deserve Justin, like you said, he was constantly fucking around on Justin. Why would anyone want a whore, when they would have had someone who would love them the way they should be.” He tells me.

“You're right, why go back to a slut when there was someone who would have stayed true to you.” I tell him, finally able to agree. I looked over when he didn't add anything else, but he’d passed out.

I got up and lifted him while he mumbled about how he should have been the one. It felt like when I used to take care of Brian. He fell in the bed fully clothed and I did what I always did for Brian. When he was under the covers I leaned over kissing his forehead the way I did when Brian was out. I looked around his bedroom at photos of him and the kid. I found one that had two girls with there arms around each other, smiling at the camera, remembering when Brian and I did that. It sucked to see the same hazel eyes staring back at me. I looked at the child who brought Justin back in Brian’s world, but couldn't hate her. She was as beautiful as her father, and it was hard to hate someone who came from him. I wouldn't blame her for having Justin for a father, just show her who loved Brian the most. I took the picture because it was showing me that I hadn't lost everything, because she took the same picture Brian and I did.

LINDSAY

I didn’t hate sitting in Alex’s office once a week. It got me out of jail. He seemed to think it would be easier for me to talk to him here. My mother came to bitch about how her life had been screwed up by me. I enjoyed the many things she wanted to say about me. If only Alex would stop trying to talk to me, I could enjoy the fact that my mother’s no longer the head bitch of the country club.

“Nancy these sessions are to assess Lindsay.” Alex tells her.

“Lindsay caused everything that happened to her. She couldn’t do anything unless it was the opposite of anything we hoped for her.” Mother of the year decrees.

“I really tried to be you, I think I got the frigid bitch part down. It was the idea of marrying someone who I couldn’t want to fuck every chance I got, I just didn’t see asking my tennis instructor to do what Daddy obviously failed to do for you, was the problem.” I tell her. “Really, fucking a barely legal kid and paying him, was just too desperate for me.” I tell her.

“Darling, thinking a gay man, who couldn’t even stand the idea of screwing you in order to have a child, should have finally gotten it in your head that he never wanted you. Instead you ran around wanting to believe you were better than the man he did screw AND MARRY.” She tells me.

“Brian will figure out Justin will never be me for him. Brian needs a wife who can stand beside him and who he can be proud of.” I tell them.

ALEX

There was a time when the idea of writing a paper on this level of delusion, would be something I would have been thrilled with. Listening to Lindsay and Nancy, tells me I was an idiot to think there was anything worth that much time.

When Lindsay told me she felt having her mother in sessions would help her, I knew she just wanted to be able to see her mother as a new victim. She can’t get to Justin, so she wanted someone she could feel superior too. I wanted to shock Lindsay back and I got Justin’s permission to do it.

“Justin was offered a solo show in New York.” I threw out while mother and daughter were thinking up the next jab at each other.

“He managed to do everything you didn’t, too bad I didn’t have a son.” Nancy tells Lindsay.

“You would have just treated him like he should have licked your twat, for birthing him.” Lindsay tells her. “By the way Alex, I don’t doubt Justin will find a way to screw that up too.” Lindsay tells me.

“Justin manages to do all the things Lindsay never could. Lindsay’s never been able to do anything anyone would care to notice.” Nancy tells me. I no longer wonder why Lindsay became what she did.

“Really, no one noticed anything I did? You never let me not know that you noticed and disapproved. If you hadn’t looked down your nose at Brian when you met him, I could have shown him I was the one for him.” Lindsay tells him.

“Lindsay, Brian wasn’t going to change his preference for men.” I tell her.

“We had sex, which means Brian didn’t necessarily have a problem with it.” She tells me.

“Once in college, on a night you were both drunk and high. Lynnette told me all about you thinking he loved you. Wasn’t it the next night when he was screwing a guy on your bed?” Nancy smirked at her.

“Nancy, I think it would be better for you to let me speak with Lindsay. If you insist on staying I need for you not to distract from the reason Lindsay is here.” I tell her.

“We had an open relationship, as long as no feelings were involved it, we agreed to it.” Lindsay tells her.

“Lindsay that was Brian and Justin, not Brian and you.” I tell her.

“I’ve had my quota of ‘Lindsay’s World’.” Nancy tells us leaving.

“No, Justin was just someone Brian tricked with when he couldn’t be with me. I really should have moved in when I left Mel, it would have kept Brian from letting Justin stay around.” Lindsay tells me.

“Did Brian want you to move in?” I ask, trying to figure out what game Lindsay is playing now.

“He invited me to New York all the time. I think he was just waiting for me to leave Mel. He wouldn’t tell me to leave, because he wanted me to choose him. Justin showed up and Brian couldn’t ignore his child, so once again, we can’t be together.” She tells me.

“I’ve never known Brian to do something he didn’t want to do. If he didn’t want to be with Justin he would have supported his daughter the same way he was supporting Gus, for you.” I tell her.

“You really don’t know my Brian.” She tells me.

I stopped the session because Lindsay wasn’t going to listen to anything but what she wanted to hear. “Lindsay, if all the sessions are going to be you rewriting history, I feel we are wasting our time. I can assign someone to come to the prison for your sessions.” I tell her, as they take her out the door.

Lindsay walked over to me. “It might be easier, you can’t see that I couldn’t be responsible for everything. I’m sure someone else could.” She whispers smiling. “It’s just so confusing sometimes.” She says walking out.

I got it wrong, she's what I prayed she wasn't.

BRIAN

“Normally I have no problem with your study of my dick, but could you possibly do more than look?” I ask him.

“I'm just trying to figure out how I missed it.” He tells me, then swallows my cock.

I ran my hands through his hair as he licked, nibbled, and seemed to be trying to suck my brains out of my dick. His hands were massaging my balls. I  knew he was just trying to feel the difference in them, but I wasn’t complaining, since it all felt like heaven. He wanted me to relax and let him do all the work, which he should know wasn’t possible. I will never be a passive person in bed with him. I came, but was ready to go again. This pregnancy shit was ramping up my need to fuck him four times a day. I don't get how I could even want it with an invader in my body, but all it took was Justin walking by me, and I was looking for ways to strip him.

I pushed him onto his back and barely put the condom on before I was thrusting home. Justin was stroking himself fast while I thrust into him. I liked watching as his eyes closed and he bit his lip to hold back any screams. As much as I wanted to hear them, we had kids who would want to know what was going on, so I kissed him to muffle the noises he couldn’t. I felt his walls pulsing around me and him cum between us. I sped up when I was ready again and came, before falling on him.

We were laying beside each other, when he leaned down, kissing my stomach. He started doing that after we got home, kissing me and then the baby. He said it was never too soon to let our child know we love it. My standard snark got lost at the idea of Justin’s love for someone we have yet to meet.

“When do you want to tell everyone?” He asks.

“Let Mel have the future lawyer first.” I tell him.

“We can at least tell my mom.” He tells me.

“You just want to tell everyone you knocked me up.” I tell him.

“I want to tell them we created a life… and that I knocked your ass up.” He smirks.

We got up to take a shower and once again I was ready to go. Justin seem to find it funny, but was happy to take care of me.

TED

Brandon and I were looking at houses, an apartment wasn’t where he wanted us to live permanently. We drove by Justin’s old house, but only to look at a house down the road from it. When Justin put it on the market we discussed it, but that guy Miles was not someone I wanted as a neighbor. Brandon saw this house and went on and on about how it was the kind of house he could see us getting old together in. I wandered around taking it in, and I could see it to.

Brandon yelled at me to come to the front bedroom. I walked in, hugging him from behind as he stared out the window.

“I swear I just saw Michael.” He tells me.

“Why do you think you saw him?” I ask, looking and seeing no one.

“I could be wrong, but it looked just like him walking by. Why would he be here?” He asks.

“If he is, you know why.” I tell him.

“Why can’t they leave Brian and Justin alone?” He asks, frustrated.

“They won’t be happy unless Brian leaves Justin alone. Neither Lindsay nor Michael want Brian to belong to anyone but them.” I tell him, hoping it isn't Michael he saw.

“What do they have to do, move to another planet to be allowed to be happy? Brian doesn’t need this shit right now.” He tells me.

“Brian has always been capable of dealing with any bullshit tossed at him.” I tell him.

“Not with a baby coming.” He mumbles.

“What did you say?” I ask.

“I shouldn't be saying anything, but if Michael is here Brian is going to need us to deal with Michael this time. He needs to be able to have this baby without the stress Michael and Lindsay bring to his life. Truthfully, with what Justin went through when he was pregnant, Brian won’t want Justin worrying that it could happen to Brian.” He tells me.

“Back up. Brian’s pregnant?” I ask, thinking I heard that wrong.

“Yes, but I'm not sure if they were telling anyone yet, so act surprised when you find out.” He tells me, watching the sidewalk. “I don’t want this house now.” He tells me.

“I won’t let Michael spoil what we want, you loved this house until you thought you saw Michael. I love this house and he won't take what we want away from us. If Michael is here it would be easier for us to keep an eye out if he's here to cause trouble. We need to call Charles and Emmett too.” I tell him.

My phone rang while Brandon stayed at the window. It was Mel and it only meant it was time. She told me she was on her way to the hospital. Brandon came running after me when I ran out of the house without him. I stopped, laughing that I forgot to tell him. We were in the car driving to the hospital when I saw Michael, but my child was coming, so Michael wasn’t important in that moment.

Brandon called everyone to let them know and told them we’d call when the baby was born. They were all excited for us. Mel, Brandon, and I decided that we were going to all be the parents, and I started thinking maybe it was time to change Brandon and I to something more than partners.

“Everyone said they'd come when we called.” He tells me.

I blurred it out. “Marry me?”

“What?” He asks.

“I want to get married to you.” I tell him.

“Really! I mean yes.” He tells me, kissing my face as I try not to kill us.

We made it to the hospital and to Mel's room. She gave me a look like she'd like to relocate my dick, for what she was going through. I stayed out of reach when the contractions hit her hard. Brandon wasn't worried that she seemed homicidal. He sat next to her, helping her breathe through the contractions. He'd been more into this than I was when we started dating, and I knew he wanted us to have a child eventually. Watching him, I knew I'd say yes when we were ready. In a way he reminded me of Brian in the way Brian loves his kids. I chuckled a little at Brian giving birth, maybe Brandon can help Justin with Brian, the way he's helping me with Mel.

Brandon and I fell asleep when Mel was still nowhere near giving birth eight hours later. I woke up when Brandon shook me.

“We need to go see our daughter.” He tells me, smiling.

“Is she having it?” I ask, stretching.

“She had her a couple of minutes ago, I went in with her and let you sleep. You didn’t seem to want to go in with her. ” He tells me.

I followed him into the room and heard whimpering. I couldn’t look anywhere but at her. She had brown wisps of hair covering her head. Her eyes opened and it was as if she was staring into my heart. Brandon came and held me as we watched them clean her and run tests.

“Mel wants to name her Katie. Apparently Justin took the first name she wanted.” He tells me.

“What do you think Katie?” I ask my daughter, who I swear smiled.

JUSTIN

Gus ran into the room, he was excited to meet his new sister. Gus decided girls weren’t bad after Hannah. Hannah sat with Mel, asking if she needed anything, since people seemed to forget she just gave birth. Brian saw Katie and told Ted good job, before running to the bathroom. I doubt we're keeping this secret long, it's been pee or sex with him.

“Hey, can I talk to you outside?” Brandon asked.

I walked out with him and followed him to the waiting room.

“Ted and I were looking at a house in your old neighborhood and I saw Michael walking by. He didn’t see me or Ted, but we both know this isn't a good thing.” He tells me.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“We saw him again on the way here. I'm only telling you because the last thing either of you need is to find out by surprise.” He tells me.

“Why would he even be in my old neighborhood?” I ask, but didn't really need to.

I found Brian and let him know about Michael. He called Deb to let her know Michael was running around Chicago. We all heard Deb explode. Brian hung up mid rant.

“Who was that? Charles and I heard it from the hall.” Emmett tells us.

“Deb’s a bit pissed that Michael’s here.” I tell him.

“Where?” Charles ask.

“Ted and I saw him in Justin’s old neighborhood.” Brandon tells him.

“Miles just digs himself deeper, he switched from the psycho bitch to someone who shares in his delusions.” Charles says.

“It's time for me to break more than Michael’s nose.” Emmett tells me.

Emmett let it go long enough to fall in love with Katie. None of us wanted to let anything overshadow Ted and Mel’s day. Brian and I let Gus stay with Mel while we had to stop Emmett from taking off. Charles seemed to want to talk to Miles about his new friend.

“Do you think talking to either of them is going to do any good? They only hear and believe what they want. Emmett, other than getting arrested what will you accomplish?” I asked.

“It will make me feel better when I kick his ass, that's what.” Emmett tells me.

“I can’t even imagine what they would have to say to each other.” Charles tells us.

“Probably the same thing only interchanging our names as to who's the slut and who's the asshole. They obviously share the same brain.” Brian tells us.

“It would be like arguing with a mirror.” Emmett laughs.

EMMETT

I stayed away from Lindsay when they asked, but no way am I staying out of this one. Michael doesn’t get to come to my town and upset the life Justin and I made here. Would I change that I met Charles? No, there isn’t anything worth changing meeting Charles. I would change the way Justin and I lost everyone. All because they could never see that they didn’t own Brian in the way Justin did. I watched the little things, not the bullshit Brian was spewing when he didn’t want anyone to see Justin meant what he did to him. It’s why I never tried to stop Justin from continuing to love Brian. Justin brought out something in Brian that Michael and Lindsay never could, and Michael isn’t going to come here trying to mess with my family.

I drove straight to Justin’s house, got out and walked around the yard. If Miles or Michael see me they’ll show up, they couldn’t resist trying to tell me whatever idiotic thought was in their heads. Miles came outside after I went into the house. He knocked on the door and seemed disappointed when he saw me.

“How are you, find a job yet?” I ask.

“No, but it’s only a matter of time. I did my job, but I certainly couldn’t be expected to work where the owner’s life was harming mine.” He tells me.

“Justin’s right.” I say, and watch him perk up at Justin’s name. “You only see things the way you want to. Tell me Miles, how did Lindsay coming to your house, at your invitation mind you, equal Brian causing you problems?” I ask.

“I wouldn’t have met her if Brian hadn’t come here.” He tells me.

“Yet you invite more people to your house that what, you’ll later decide it’s somehow Brian’s fault for them being there? I’m going to give you some advice, Michael is not here because he gives a shit about Justin in any way, shape, or form. Michael hates that Justin was the person Brian wanted. Michael might be saying what you want to hear, but in the end he could care less what happens to Justin or his child. If you think hanging out with Michael will do anything for you, look at where Lindsay is now. Michael was helping her.” I tell him.

“Michael wants to be friends with you again, he said he was angry because you helped Justin hide Hannah from the family. Emmett, I understand not wanting Brian to know about Justin and Hannah, but not the people who loved Justin like family. It was just a misunderstanding, and you left before Michael could talk to you.” Miles tells me.

“Miles, are you really this gullible? Michael called Justin names that I couldn’t excuse. It had nothing to do with me until Michael accused me of being Hannah’s father. Your new friend was too busy trying to hurt Justin, I made sure he couldn’t.” I tell him.

“Michael told me all about Brian and how he treated Justin.” He tells me, looking less sure of what he got from Michael.

“I think it’s time for you to hear a new version. It starts with Michael, who followed Brian constantly, waiting for Brian to tell him that he was the one Brian wanted. I believe it started when Michael was fourteen, and it hasn’t stopped.” I tell him.

“Michael doesn’t want Brian, he told me he couldn’t love someone who would never be faithful.” He tells me.

“I’m just getting to the good parts. Like the part where Michael spent all his time trying to get Brian to shit all over Justin. See, Brian and Justin didn’t have a problem with tricking, as long as it wasn’t more than a trick. Which, if you heard the last sentence, means Justin was not a trick to Brian. When Justin’s father kicked him out, Brian didn’t just take Justin home with him. Brian took Justin home to his family, but wouldn’t let Justin stay with a father who wanted to change everything about Justin. You want to know what I remember most about the night Justin and his father fought? It was that I was playing around and put my arms around Justin, kissing him on the cheek, and there was Brian, removing my hands and pulling Justin to him. After that Michael, Ted, and I became invisible, because all Brian and Justin could see was each other.” I tell him.

“Brian didn’t want Justin in the loft. He only let him stay because he felt bad for Justin.” Michael says from the doorway.

“So bad that he did the one thing he told you never to do. He went after Justin.” I tell Michael.

“Ma and I made Brian go.” He tells me.

“Really. You want to believe Brian did anything he didn’t want to. It's one thing even you can't lie about, Brian has never done something unless he wanted to. If we'd left him alone, I doubt he wouldn’t have gone anyway. I seem to remember that we wandered around for hours before Brian called us. What do you think Brian was doing with Justin that whole time? I doubt he was giving Justin a lecture on how he only showed up because you and Deb made him.” I tell him.

“He was only letting Justin be the fuck toy Brian liked him to be.” Michael sneers.

“Justin was too young to see what that bastard was doing.” Miles tells us.

“Brian didn’t have to do anything to get Justin on his knees. Justin was constantly showing up, trying to get Brian’s attention away from me. Brian only wanted me, until that shit showed up. I just wanted the bastard gone, he wouldn't listen when I told him over and over that Brian didn’t want him. Do you know how I felt when Brian went to New York, leaving Justin without bothering to know what happened, I felt justified that I was right. Justin never meant anything to Brian. He took my calls and still kept me around.” Michael tells us.

“Brian knew if he had any contact with Justin, he'd want Justin with him. He cared enough to let Justin go. Brian wanted Justin to have the chance at a life he didn’t know if he could give him. Michael, letting you stay in his life meant he didn’t see you as someone he could hurt.” I tell him.

“Brian was always there, making sure I didn't get hurt.” He tells me.

“Let's talk about what Brian had to do for you. I seem to remember him taking the blame for you when you did anything, the way a brother might do for another brother. He threw a party and practically threw you at David. To me it doesn’t sound like he wanted to be with you.” I tell him.

“And Justin came to me after the party because Brian wanted me back in his life. He told me everything and helped Brian and I get back together. Even Justin saw what I meant to Brian.” He tells me.

“I thought you didn’t want Brian, you acted like you worried about Justin?” Miles asks.

“Why would I give a shit about Justin? All he does is take things that don’t belong to him. He was constantly running around making Brian take care of him, not giving a shit that Brian didn’t owe him anything. Justin’s idea of love was fucking other guys.” Michael tells us.

“Justin never needed Brian to take care of him, it’s why Brian couldn’t resist him. Justin never made Brian feel like he owed Justin anything. I find it funny you seem to think Justin fucking other people was wrong, but yet Brian was doing it too.” I add when Miles and Michael start glaring at each other.

“You told me Brian MADE Justin do those things.” Miles tells Michael.

“You’re too busy acting like Justin should be a fucking saint to see that he’s just a piece of ass to sell to the highest bidder.” Michael tells him.

“I think you need to look at Brian. Didn’t you say he was fucking anything that walked by him? I’ve never seen Justin do anything but be a father to his daughter, the one Brian fucking abandoned.” Miles tells him.

“Brian didn’t know.” I add, but they weren’t listening to me anymore.

“Justin got knocked up hoping to trap Brian.” Michael tells him.

“How do you get that? Justin was raising Hannah without Brian doing a damn thing.” Miles tells him.

“I doubt Justin even knew if Brian was the father. He was fucking anyone who wanted his ass.” Michael tells him.

“I’d believe that if it was Brian who got pregnant, remember you told me Brian was the whore of gay PA.” Miles tells him.

That comment made me think about Brian’s recent runs to the bathroom, while they fought with each other. I swear I saw Brian eating a King size hershey bar too. I looked at them in time to see Michael shove Miles out the door. I got up and watched the two, I think it was fighting. Hard to tell when they were running from each other, then trying to kick each other. It wasn’t until they were on the ground pulling each other’s hair that I could almost see it as fighting. Michael was on Miles’ back trying to, I assume, get Miles to eat dirt, but Miles managed to buck him off and turn the hose on him. Michael was screaming like it was acid and not water. I enjoyed watching, but really I just needed Miles to kick Michael’s ass back to Pittsburgh.

Justin was right, I really didn’t need to do anything, Michael and Miles would do it for me. I locked up and decided that maybe it was time for Charles and I to take a trip to Vegas. I needed to get on with the life that I found with Charles.

BRIAN

I was sitting in my office praying that the decaf would somehow fool my body into believing it was the real thing. It’s starting to get ridiculous, I’m tired all the time, but instead of sleeping I end up stripping Justin and neither of us are getting any sleep. Only, Justin can drink himself awake.

It was starting to have people talking about catching me sleeping everywhere. Then Brandon and I fell asleep while brainstorming on a campaign, Brandon seemed to think Katie needed him when she got up every two hours. Justin walked in to find us both snoring, I think he made that up, while mumbling at each other.

Emmett came in and sat down while I tried to keep my eyes open. He put a chocolate muffin on my desk and real coffee. I stared at the fat farm maker, then snatched it, trying to stuff it all in my mouth at once.

“That's quite the appetite you seem to have.” He tells me.

I continued eating, not responding and disappointed when there wasn't more. I ran my hand down my perfectly chiseled abs, apologizing for what I'm doing to them.

“I was sort of craving a chocolate pancake. Then I decided to eat a Hershey bar, but I bought too many.” He tells me, placing a king size one on the desk.

I had to pretend to put my hands behind my head when it tried to take the bait Emmett seems to be using to get the gossip.

“You know, I think I actually want it.” He tells me, reaching for it.

I swiped it off the desk and into my pocket before he could get it. “Is there a reason you're here discussing food.” I sneer, hoping he’ll leave.

“Yes, after watching the Mikey and Miles show, I decided to make an honest man out of Charles. I came to invite you guys to Vegas with us.” He tells me.

“Fine, you can go now.” I tell him.

He got up and went out the door. I pulled the candy bar out and tore into it, taking a big bite. Emmett comes back in and smirks at me.

“Something you need to tell Auntie Em?” He asks.

I would have said so many things, but they got lost in my moan when the chocolate melted on my tongue. Now how to get Justin to get his ass in here so I can take care of my other recurring problem.

“Brian, I’m waiting.” He tells me.

“You saw Michael?” I ask, when my mind remembered him saying that.

“I let it go when Lindsay was here, but Michael isn’t going to come here pulling his bullshit. He wants to do that he has all of Pittsburgh to do it in. Although I’m still trying to figure out who taught him to fight.” He laughs.

“I’m waiting for Deb to come and drag his ass back to Pittsburgh.” I tell him.

“That’s different, usually you’d be over there telling Michael what you think.” He tells me.

“I can’t do anything I won’t let Justin do.” I tell him.

“You really think Justin isn’t planning his own trip over there to kick Michael’s ass. Justin is just more patient than me. He’ll eventually do something that none of us will ever figure out. Do I need to mention Kip?” He asks me.

“Why did you bother if you believe that?” I ask, not caring anymore and biting the candy bar.

“It was more to see if I could do what Lindsay used to do and turn them on each other. I’ve got to give her props, it works.” He tells me.

I threw the bar away when he mentioned Lindsay. Alex called me, saying I needed to get her custody permanently revoked. Lindsay gave Alex permission to tell me anything, she felt that it would help me see things her way only, so we could be together.

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to bring her up.” Emmett tells me.

“I’m pregnant, is that what you came to find out?” I ask, trying get him out of here.

“I’ll go, but congratulations.” He tells me.

“Alex called, telling me he thinks we should make it so Lindsay can’t see Gus at all. Lindsay started trying to act confused and changing things that were about Justin and me into being about her and me.” I tell him.

“She’s never going to be someone healthy for Gus to be around. You know that, it’s time to deal with it. You can’t let him around her.” He tells me.

“She’ll only agree to it if I show up with the papers. It’s another game, she wants to see if she can get me to play. Justin and I can take it to court, but it would be faster if I could get her to sign the papers.” I tell him.

“Then play one more time, only let Justin tell her about you. I think she likes seeing if she can hurt Justin. Only he isn’t the victim that she thinks he is.” Emmett tells me.

“You want me to ask Justin to go there and deal with her? I promised him he never had to see her again.” I tell him.

“It’s something you need to let him do, he needs to show her that he’s the original and she’s the poor imitation. Justin never needed anyone to protect him from her, but you do. You still see her as the girl she was at one time. The one she managed to fool everyone into believing she was, she can’t do that to Justin. He got to see the real woman behind the mask she puts on for everyone.” He tells me.

“He asked her if it was hard to pretend all the time. It was the first time I saw a break in her persona.” I tell him.

“Yet all the therapy in the world doesn’t seem to get her to lower her mask, the way Justin can with a few well placed words. Seeing Alex is probably fun for her. She doesn’t care what he thinks, nor does she believe there’s any reason to bother with therapy. With Justin she can’t not engage, she needs to believe that he is everything she thinks he is.” He tells me, leaving my office.

Justin seems to be the only one she can’t hide from. Emmett was telling me the truth, none of us really saw what she’s like, because with Mel and I she was careful not give us the any reason to think we were seeing the monster behind the sweet caring woman she portrays for all of us. I don’t want Justin to be asked to do this. I needed to tell him what Alex called me to tell me, but I thought Alex should hear Emmett’s opinion on it too. Justin came in with lunch rolling his eyes at the candy bar wrappers in my garbage.

“Alex called me the other day.” I tell him.

“I figured.” He tells me putting the sandwich down on the desk.

“Why haven’t you asked about it?” I wanted us to be open, but here I am not telling him things again,

“Sometimes I like to forget Lindsay will forever be in our lives.” He tells me.

“We need to get her rights permanently revoked. She told Alex that she’d agree only if I show up to see her.” I tell him.

“I don’t want you to go near her, not now.” He tells me.

“We could go to court, it’s just this way we don’t have to spend months doing this. I don’t want to do it but I want it done.” I tell him.

“Brian, I don’t want you stressed out, it’s not good for you.” He tells me.

“Then we go to court.” I tell him, not willing to ask him what Emmett suggested.

“What aren’t you telling me?” He asks.

“Nothing important.” I tell him.

“Are we going to do this again?” He asks, frustrated.

“What are you talking about?” I ask him.

“Where you decide something for us without telling me.” He tells me.

“Emmett suggested you go see her, but just like you don’t want me going to see her. I don’t want you doing it either.” I tell him.

“Why did Emmett think I should do it?” He asks.

“He thinks she can’t resist taunting you, and the person she wants people to believe she is slips around you.” I tell him.

“He’s right, she can’t help but want to prove her point to me. When she had me in the car I kept at her until she couldn’t win.” He tells me.

“I made you a promise that you didn’t have to see her.” I tell him.

“We promised Gus we’d always protect him, I plan to keep that promise. If it takes taking her on again, I’ll do it. My son will not have her screwing with his head.” Justin tells me.

“If you do this we talk to Alex first, unless he gives us the okay then you don’t. We have enough that a court wouldn’t give Lindsay any visitation.” I tell him.

“What happens when she gets out? She’ll be everything she needs to be to be able to see Gus.” He tells me.

“We can deal with it when she gets out, we don’t have to now.” I tell him.

“I want to know that when this baby is born there will never be a Lindsay in it’s life. If I can get her to show she’s a danger to us then we don’t ever have to deal with it again. Call Alex and ask him what he thinks and tell him what I’m going to do, regardless.” He tells me, kissing me before leaving to get the kids.

“Alex, Justin wants to be the one to talk to Lindsay.” I tell him when he answers.

“She’s not going to like that you won’t be there.” He tells me.

“She doesn’t get to tell us what to do. I don’t want Justin to do this, but when he wants to do something no one can stop him.” I tell him.

“I’ve really wanted to see how she is with him, but I wouldn’t have asked that of Justin.” He tells me.

“She can’t stay in character with him. Justin has a way of making you say and do things you don’t think you could.” I tell him.

“He got you to fall in love, so I would say Justin can do the impossible.” He tells me.

MICHAEL

Miles and I fought in the yard and I ran in his house locking him out. He threatened to have the police kick me out. I told Miles that his ex would love another reason to keep his kid away from him. He was pissed because he knew having to explain why cops have to keep coming here would only make it sound like his house wasn’t stable for his kid. He told me that I needed to be gone in a couple days, he tried to tell me to leave the next morning. I didn’t care, I just needed a way to talk to Brian, then I won’t need to stay here.

He went out to a job interview, and I had him drop me off at Hawthorne-Kinney. The front desk guy stopped me before I could get past him. He told me that unless I had an appointment I didn’t get in at all. I was about to tell him to call Brian when I saw Brian and Justin walking by above me. I yelled Brian’s name to get his attention.

“William, can you call James and tell him to remove Mr. Novotny from the building and ban him from entering again?” Brian tells the guy in front of me.

“We need to talk, I came all the way here because you're fucking up your life.” I yell.

“Sir, I need you to come with me.” The security guy tells me as Brian and Justin walk off out of sight.

“I want Brian to come down here and say it to my face that he wants me gone.” I tell him, not moving.

“When I’m called, take it as he just told you.” The guy tells me, waving me to the door.

“You tell him I’ll be outside waiting.” I tell him, walking out and leaning on the building.

“I’m to tell you that if you're still here in an hour, that your mother will be glad to see you.” William comes out a few minutes later, to tell me.

I stopped leaning and walked away.

BRIAN

Alex came to Chicago to talk to us. He told us it was better to be prepared than to walk in playing it by ear. Lindsay allowing me to know about her sessions made it easier, she must have thought I still kept things from Justin.

“One of the reasons I encouraged you to revoke her rights is that she would use any time she had with Gus to try and get information about your life with Justin. The other reason is because right now she can't have a healthy relationship with anyone.” He tells us.

“Until I came back, she seemed like the person I always knew. She came to New York with Gus, but never really stayed around. I was only interested in spending time with Gus and didn’t care what she was doing. I only found out after I talked to Justin what she’d done. After that, she seemed hellbent on destroying her life and mine.” I tell him.

“To her, there was no change in your life, you were still tricking and avoiding relationships. She didn’t have to worry that you would be involved with someone other than her. If you had started a relationship with someone else, she would have needed to deal with the other person.” He tells us.

“She never seemed to have a problem with Justin until after I left. When she came to tell me leaving was a mistake, she used Justin as a reason I should stay.” I tell him.

“She knew you well enough to know that by using Justin, was a way to guarantee you would leave. If she thought you two were getting closer she would comment on it, because you would take off to prove to everyone that Justin wasn’t important to you. If they’d paid attention they would have understood it was your way of pushing away the idea that Justin meant more than you wanted him too.” He tells us.

“What made her say she would give up Gus?” Justin asks.

“She knows it's the only way to get Brian to see her. I'm not even sure if she plans to sign away her rights, or if she just wants us to think she does. It's why I haven’t suggested Brian see her, it could all be a plan she cooked up to entertain herself. I do want to see the way she reacts to you, but I doubt it will get you what you want.” He tells Justin.

“I don’t think she'll sign either.” Justin tells him.

“Then why do you want to see her?” I ask.

“I want something a judge can't turn a blind eye to. She’s capable of making people see what she wants them to see. Part of her excuse for the whole kidnapping was that I was threatening to take Gus from her. Which is what Brian and I are planning to do, now. I plan to give any judge involved in the case the real Lindsay.” Justin tells him.

“How would talking to you accomplish that?” Alex asks.

“I’m everything she said I couldn’t be. She can argue anything she wants, but in the end, I have everything she believes belongs to her. When she can’t win against me, she is no longer in control of herself, and she becomes less able to not say what she really thinks or feels. Just make sure you have a way to contain her when she blows.” Justin tells him, getting up to go pick up the kids from school.

“He really believes he can do that by talking to her? I’ve spent sessions with her and she treats them like a vacation from prison. She lets her mother come because that way she can avoid talking to me, by letting her mother use the sessions as if the therapy was for Nancy.” He tells me.

“She doesn’t see any reason to talk to you. You don’t hold any significance in her life. You don’t give her anything that would make her feel superior to you.” I tell him.

“I offered to let her get sessions in prison if seeing me was wasting my time and hers. She thought it would be a great idea.” He tells me.

“That’s because you know enough that she can’t convince you to see it differently.” I tell him.

“She practically dared me to do it.” He tells me.

BRANDON

Ted and Emmett were out with Deb looking for Michael. I told them I had work to do. Deb rubs me the wrong way. She came over to our apartment and immediately started telling us how to raise Katie. I left before I could ask her why she thinks she’s the expert.  Later on I was sitting in our bedroom flipping channels when the door opened. Deb came in and I practically had to bite my tongue before I told her to get out.

“Can we talk?” She asks me.

“Go talk to your son, Brian and Justin would like to live their lives.” I tell her.

“I plan to deal with Michael. I got the feeling I did something that pissed you off.” She tells me.

“I just don’t think you should be giving us advice on Katie.” I tell her.

“I've raised a kid, I just thought Ted and Mel might need advice.” She tells me.

“I'm sure you do, but look at how your kid turned out. I'd rather make mistakes than have a kid like yours.” I tell her.

“I did the best a single mother could do for Michael.” She tells me.

“My mother did the same thing with me. Only she didn’t run around chasing me and expecting to be included in everything I did. She wouldn’t come here and act like she had all the answers to questions nobody asked her. You show up to once again deal with the kid you raised, who is an adult, but instead of going to find him you sit here giving us your advice.” I tell her.

“Brandon, let it go.” Ted tells me.

“I did, but she wanted to know why I was pissed. So when she walked in here uninvited, I told her.” I tell him.

“Deb, can you go wait for me with Emmett.” He tells her.

“I guess he's learning from Brian.” She tells him, walking away.

“I tried Ted, but even Mel wanted to kick her ass.” I tell him.

“What's really bothering you?” He asks.

“She's here, which seems to mean everyone puts their life on hold for her and her son. You asked me to marry you, and instead of making plans with me, we're stuck helping her with Michael. How hard is it for her to go to Miles’s house and drag Michael home?” I ask.

“I'll be back.” He tells me.

I sat on the bed, feeling like an ass. It's just, I wanted to invite my mom here to meet Katie and Ted, but before I could talk to Ted, Deb shows up with bags, like she was planning on staying. My mood just went to shit when she sat there acting like only she knew how to raise a kid.

“What do you want to plan?” He asks, sitting on the bed.

“I’m just being an asshole, go help Deb and we can talk later.” I tell him.

“Deb needs to deal with Michael, we don’t. I don’t want to you to ever feel like you’re second in my life. I saw what that did to Justin, and I won’t make that mistake.” He tells me.

“I know you weren’t putting me second.” I tell him.

“So what did you want to plan?” He asks me.

“I want you to meet my mom, and for her to meet Katie.” I tell him.

“Why haven’t you already invited her?” He asks me.

“I wanted all the bullshit gone first.” I tell him.

“I sent Deb with Emmett, he’s going to get her a hotel room and take her to Miles’s house. We are bullshit free.” He tells me.

“You really think she isn’t going to want you to help her.” I tell him.

“I’m sure she does, but it doesn’t mean we have to. I would rather meet your mom and show her our daughter.” He tells me.

We called my mom and invited her here. I told her about us getting married and all about our Katie. Ted talked to her and asked her if he could marry me. I could hear my mom say she would love to have another son. Ted hung up and we laid on the bed, making plans for her visit.

JUSTIN

Alex really needs to realize that nothing will change Lindsay from the person she is, she was defective from birth. She learned to hide who she was by watching the people in the world her parents raised her in. It’s something both of us had in common, and in a way we both defied our upbringing. I wasn’t going to hide in a closet just to keep up appearances, but Lindsay came out for shock value. Brian and I talked about why Lindsay keeps saying I was a copy of her. His answer was she’s nuts. I left Brian at my mom’s house with the kids so I could talk to Alex before Lindsay was escorted into his office.

“I need you to not try to reason with Lindsay.” I tell him.

“If she reacts the way you expect, I can’t allow her to do anything.” He tells me.

“It’s just, she is going to say things to see if she can get a rise out of one of us. If she does then we’ll be spinning wheels with her.” I tell him.

“Why do you think she is going to care? Brian was right that she really doesn’t see me as anything but a way to amuse herself.” He tells me.

“She’s spent her life doing things to see people react to what she’s doing. I would almost say it’s because she can’t show the same emotional responses, and studies them to figure out a way to make it believable. She can do jealousy and anger, but not any of the other emotions, she gets cues from watching other people.” I tell him.

“Anger and jealousy are emotions you can’t control. They’re emotions that you can’t hide in your body language. People can pretend happiness and love because smiles and words are easy because you don’t have a visceral response to them. Lindsay doesn’t understand real love, so she doesn’t really feel anything and has no reaction to it. She doesn’t love Brian, so much as wanting what Brian can give her, envy of the people she wants to feel superior to.” He tells me.

“Which is why I’m the copy in her head, she couldn’t feel superior to me if I superceded her expectations. She constantly talks about how her life didn’t succeed because of Brian and Mel holding her back. Yet she still sees Brian as her way to the things she gave up on, ignoring that Brian was one of the people she blamed for her failures. I want to see how she excuses her life, when I still managed everything, despite her belief that I was repeating her mistakes.” I tell him.

“I don’t believe she’ll ever realize anything she did was wrong.” He tells me.

“I don’t either, but I also don’t want a future where my son, daughter, or new child, have Lindsay around to keep causing problems.” I tell him.

“How did you get Brian to agree to let you come here if you're pregnant?” He asks me.

“I’m not, Brian is.” I smirk.

“I told Brian you could do the impossible.” He tells me.

“I don’t believe in impossible anymore, just the possibilities.” I tell him.

Lindsay came in, frowning at seeing only Alex and me in the room. I smirked when they handcuffed her to the chair. I could see the anger rising in her when the officer told Alex he would be outside in case Lindsay caused any more trouble today.

“What did Lindsay do?” Alex asks the officer, as if Lindsay was a bratty child.

“She got upset when she had to share her cell, apparently she feels that she’s above other criminals.” He tells Alex.

“The woman needs a bath, I won’t be subjected to people like that.” Lindsay sneers.

The officer walked out, shaking his head at Lindsay. Alex looked at me to see if I wanted to start. I shook my head no, I wanted to put Lindsay on the defensive, not me.

“I thought I made it clear that Brian needed to be here if we are to reach any agreement on how we are going to raise Gus.” She tells me.

“He didn’t feel the need to answer to your whims. We sort of wonder why you think we need you to agree to anything. I doubt custody would be an issue, since you’ll be in prison. I’ve never heard of the housing in prison where you would raise a kid.” I tell her.

“I don’t plan on going to prison. I think a judge will agree that my fears were validated. You're trying to take Gus away.” She tells me.

“I didn’t have to, you helped yourself by doing it for me.” I tell her.

“Do you see what Justin does, he wants everything, and makes it so I look like the criminal.” Lindsay tells Alex, with tears for effect.

“It must be hard for you to see that I don't have to want things, but get them.” I tell her, shaking my head when Alex wanted to say something.

“Without Brian giving in to you, you'd still be a nobody wishing for things you didn’t deserve.” She tells me.

“I’ll have to ask the critics who raved about my first show, if Brian somehow made my hard work a waste of time. How did Brian have anything to do with a show I got before meeting him, again?” I ask.

“Your paintings aren’t anything a real artist couldn’t do in preschool.” She tells me.

“Which is when I could do what you call art. I think we called it finger painting, though.” I tell her.

“Are you listening to him?” Lindsay asks, getting upset.

“Why bother with Alex, he only sees you as mental.” I tell her.

“I only ever told you the truth, your life was headed for mediocrity. If you had listened to me, you could have been more than Brian’s toy when it amused him.” She tells me, smirking.

“Mediocrity, that would be your life, if you did more than sit on your ass. It's the best you could aspire to, anything else would be beyond your reach. I couldn’t settle for things the way you do, being the little wife wasn’t a career goal.” I tell her.

“I don’t know, isn’t that exactly what you became, Brian’s trophy wife?” She asks me.

“Wait, that was your ambition, remember? You told me how you wanted to be the arm candy and I would have made great mistress material. I guess you couldn’t help wanting to be Lynnette and your mother. You know, the woman with the bank account to keep you warm, while your husband forgot you existed.” I tell her.

“You forget who Brian left behind, it was you. I was the one he still talked to and allowed in his life.” She tells me.

“Is that the best you have, Brian left me behind? I thought by now you could have found something that wasn’t as tired as Mikey’s sayings. I really thought you'd be more original than a copy of Mikey.” I tell her, rolling my eyes.

“I'm nothing like Michael, he can't even see Brian that didn’t want him. Brian gave me more than Michael ever got from him.” She tells me.

“What, using you like the trick of the night?” I ask.

“That wasn’t how it was!” She screams.

“He fucked you and then screwed a guy the next morning. It's called tricking.” I tell her, hoping Brian was true to form in those days.

“He cared about me, I understood why he needed release.” She tells me.

I laughed in my head that I can still ace the action and reaction of Brian Kinney. “He never needed that after a night with me. Normally he complained that his dick couldn’t get enough of what I gave him.” I smirk, as she turns red. “I guess you understood your twat wasn’t the golden goose that Brian couldn’t resist, since he didn't go back for more.” I  snicker.

“He must have needed more, since he was still tricking when you came along.” She tells me.

“We liked to compare notes, usually after fucking each other. Brian was always saying no one could compete with me in any department.” I tell her.

“So you're a great whore, that was something I never aspired too.” She tells me, acting superior.

“No, that would take working on a skill, like how your art never got off the ground. I like to live up to all the things that I do, not sit around painting the wall because my imagination couldn’t paint anything anyone wanted to see.” I tell her.

“I got into art school.” She tells me.

“So did I, but you know, I did it while raising my child by myself. I also continued to paint while working a job, and gosh, raising my child. You know, the way you couldn’t even with Mel to help you.” I tell her.

“I could have done it, but I wanted my child to know he was more important. Brian isn’t going to be happy with you when your career interferes with raising your brat. I only did what I knew Brian wanted me to do. I could have had it all but I didn’t want Gus to ever feel like he wasn’t as important as fame.” She rants.

“What fame, the GLC art show, wait, you couldn’t even enter that could you?” I ask.

“I was trying to help you, I didn’t want to outshine you. If I had entered you wouldn’t have even gotten in the show.” She tells me.

“Lindsay you couldn’t have gotten in a show if people paid to put the bullshit you call paintings on a wall and paid people to come see it.” I tell her.

“One show doesn’t mean anything, you’ll be a has-been before you accomplish anything.” She tells me.

“I guess we’ll see, since I was offered three solo shows. How many have you been offered, I think none?” I ask her.

“Fuck you, you really think you have it all. Brian will get tired of you and then what I wanted to do for you, he’ll do for me. I’ll be the one standing there laughing at what a fucking failure you are in everything. I’ll be the one Brian wants, and have everything I dreamed of having.” She tells me, yanking at the handcuffs. It wasn’t enough yet.

“Brian wouldn’t forget me the way he wants to forget you. He couldn’t even be bothered to come here. You weren’t that important to him. He told me it was a waste of time to talk to you.” I tell her.

“I should have made it so you wouldn’t be a problem for me anymore.” Lindsay threatens me.

“Coming from someone I managed to stash in a trunk, I can’t seem to worry about you.” I tell her.

“When I get out of this bullshit, I’ll make sure you get stashed in a trunk of a car in the middle of the fucking ocean.” She yells. Bingo.

“Would you call that a threat to my life Alex? I think it was.” I tell Alex.

“What?” Lindsay asks. “Sorry I blacked out for a minute.” She says, trying to act confused. “Justin, why are we here?” She asks, as if she didn’t know.

“I was here to get you to sign your rights away, but then I figured getting you to show you're not the kind of mother Gus needs, would be easier when Brian and I sue to have your rights permanently revoked.” I tell her, not falling for the blackout she suddenly came up with.

“I don’t understand, Gus is just a baby, why would you want to take him from me?” She says, as if lost.

“Good luck trying to convince anyone with this new act.” I tell her, getting up to leave.

“I only have to convince a judge, then you’ll see what I can do to you.” She tells me.

“Hey Alex, you think she’ll convince anyone when you recorded everything? Really Lindsay, when you gave Brian permission to hear your sessions, you should have planned better. Brian can use any of it, and with your permission.” I tell her.

“You think they won’t hear the way you talked to me.” She tells me.

“You think anything I said sounds worse than threatening to kill me?” I ask her.

“I think it’s time for you to go back to your cell.” Alex tells her.

“One day Justin, I’ll be there to claim what’s mine.” She tells me, as the officer comes to get her.

Lindsay let him uncuff her and then pushed him away, to get to me. I waited until she got closer, and then ducked at the hand flying at me. The officer grabbed her before she could do anything else, cuffing her as she tried to get free. “I wish he’d never met you, everything would have been different!” She yells at me.

“Only in your fucked up imagination.” I whisper, as they take her out.

“She needs more help than I could give her.” Alex tells me.

“Alex, she’s beyond help, her delusions are her reality.” I tell him.

“Tell Brian I’ll have the recording and my assessment sent to him. Tell him congratulations on the new baby.” Alex tells me.

“You fucking whore, you really think getting pregnant will keep Brian.” Lindsay yells as the officer drags her out the door.

“Damn it, sorry I thought she was gone.” Alex tells me.

“She’s going to find out, Michael isn’t getting what he thought by coming to Chicago. He’ll be running back to Lindsay, hoping she can help him.” I tell him.

“How do you stay sane with the two of them? It takes all I have to not lose my professionalism with Lindsay.” He tells me.

“I learned to stop letting either of them cause me to doubt my place in Brian’s life. It took him coming back to me, for me to see that I needed to stop listening to anything but what Brian tells me. I was young and thought they knew him better. They spent years never knowing him the way I did in the time I had with him.” I tell him.

“What did you know that they didn’t?” He asks me.

“He needed to be shown that love didn’t come with beatings or conditions. Brian is more capable of love then anyone I know. I learned that it wasn’t the words with Brian, but in his actions. It wasn’t something I understood at seventeen. He loved me as much as he could, and let me go so I wouldn’t end up hating him for not saying words that he wasn’t ready to say.” I tell him.

BRIAN

I didn’t ask Justin anything, and didn’t even listen to the session. Just handed everything to the lawyer to do with what she thought she should. She told me the only thing the judge needed to hear was Lindsay threatening Justin. I left it alone, because he told me to.

I was walking out of work, thinking a pizza was sounding like the best idea in the world. I just had to make sure to get Hannah something she would eat. Normally I’m with Hannah, there is nothing all that fantastic about bread, but well, this baby seems to think all my years of working out weren’t important when it wanted food. I was walking by a restaurant and the smell was so overpowering that I turned to try to find a place to throw up.

Michael stood there blocking the alley, and well, the baby seemed to think Michael needed a little something extra. I think I vomited breakfast and lunch, and maybe a late night snack that I had thought was a good idea. Michael stood there staring at me, shaking out his shirt.

“Brian, it’s obvious that Justin doesn’t take care of you.” He tells me.

“Fuck.” Was all I got out before puking in his hair. “This baby is going to be the death of me.” I tell him, hailing a cab and leaving him staring at me.

I got home before I realized what I had said to him. I walked in the house and went upstairs to shower the ick off me. Justin came in to let me know dinner was ready.

“I threw up on Michael.” I tell him.

“Where did you see him?” Justin asks.

“He was following me from work. I thought I’d get a pizza, and didn’t get past the Indian restaurant. He made the mistake of thinking we needed to talk. Baby decided to give him a show.” I tell him, getting out.

“How are you today my little hero?” Justin asks, as he kisses my belly.

And as usual I stood at attention, and Justin kissed that too, before taking me in his mouth. He massaged my balls while sucking the head and running his tongue along the vein under my cock, I leaned back as he continued to swallow my length and thrust his fingers into me, rubbing my prostate. I came, and used the wall to keep standing. Justin got up and kissed me before walking out.

“You don’t want?” I ask him.

“Later, when there aren't two children downstairs waiting for Dad to have dinner with them. Plus, I thought you deserved that for what you did to Michael.” He tells me, laughing all the way down the stairs.

MICHAEL

I couldn’t move, he really couldn't have said what he did. A woman came out of the restaurant and yelled for me to go somewhere else. Didn't she get that my world just crashed? I left when she came back with a broom, like she planned to sweep me away. I started walking until I got to the house Miles told me Emmett lives in. I needed someone to tell me it was wrong. Brian would never let anyone… God I can’t even say it.

“Michael?” Emmett’s partner asks, wrinkling his nose at me.

“Is Emmett here?” I ask.

“No, he’s with your mother, trying to find you. It's time for you to go home. I honestly don't understand why you think Emmett would want to talk to you.” He tells me.

“I need him to tell me it's not true.” I tell him, lost.

“Look, could you hose off or something. I'll bring you a towel and something to put on, before we talk about anything.” He tells me, pointing to the backyard.

I went and got cleaned, trying to pretend what Brian said was wrong, but the evidence was on me and the ground. Charles came out and handed me stuff to change into.

“We can talk out here, because I'm doing more than Emmett would like, by letting you in our yard.” He tells me.

“We used to be friends, but…”

“No Michael, you were never a friend to anyone. They at one time thought you were a friend, but realized you don't understand friendship.” He interrupts me.

“I took Emmett in when he needed a place to stay.” I argue.

“Then tossed him aside for being a friend to the guy who got everything you wanted. Sorry, but letting him be your roommate who paid half the rent, doesn’t sound like anything but you needed someone to help you out.” He tells me.

“If he hadn't run off with Justin, we'd still be friends.” I tell him.

“Justin seems to be the answer for everything you feel is wrong with your life. Maybe instead of blaming Justin for going on with his life, see that your faults lie in you.” He tells me.

“They all flock around him. He's nothing but an interloper.” I tell him.

“Michael where do you come up with Justin being the interloper? He left and made a life for himself, he didn’t come around trying to make people think he belonged where he didn’t, or get involved in things that have nothing to do with him. The people who flock to him, want him in their lives. I did question the whole Brian situation, but it was because I didn’t know or understand what made him special in Justin’s eyes. I also didn’t get involved because it was Justin and Brian’s lives to live. You seem to think you know all the answers, and when no one agrees, you go out of your way to be the interloper.” He tells me.

“Justin got to you too. I planned to make Hannah welcome in my life, because she was Brian’s.” I tell him.

“Why would you think you were welcome in Hannah’s world? And before you bring up Gus, that won't happen either. Why aren't you getting that none of them want or trust you in their lives. How many doors need to slam in your face before you realize you threw it all away years ago?” He asks.

“Brian thinks he has to be with Justin. I only wanted to show him he didn’t owe Justin anything. He never wanted Justin, but no one gets that.” I tell him.

“I think you need to hear some facts, not what you and Lindsay seem to have made up. Brian came back, he didn’t do it to see you, but to find Justin. He never forgot, what was it you like to call Justin? “The twink who wouldn’t leave?” For Brian, it was the man he never forgot. When they met again, Justin didn’t leap into his arms, because you and your faction made it clear that Brian wanted you. Which left Brian having to show Justin that none of you had a clue to what Brian Kinney wants, which is Justin Taylor. Not because of Hannah, but because he loves Justin.  Brian wanted marriage and talked Justin into it, with the promise that all the things that cause problems for them, would not rear their ugly heads. Yet rear they do, and think there's still some part of Brian that belongs to only them. He moved his family away, and yet you still think it's just responsibility to Brian. What will it take for you to see that whatever you want won't happen, and let them be?” He asks.

“Brian hated what Justin represents.” I tell him.

“Yet you seem to want to give Brian what he already has with Justin. Why do you think because it's you, he'd think it was better?” He asks.

“Brian promised me those things.” I tell him.

“So you really don't believe Brian hates it, just that it should be you who gets it? Lindsay seems to believe the same thing. Why is it Justin’s fault that Brian didn’t want what you and Lindsay wanted?” He asks.

“Lindsay was never getting anything from Brian. We all knew that, she’s just pissed that Justin once again became the center of attention. Brian really shouldn’t be taking Gus from her.” I tell him, not liking what he’s saying. He makes me sound like Lindsay.

“All I can see is that you're headed to the padded cell next to Lindsay if you don’t get your life in order, and start living for more than your fantasy that Brian wanted anything from you. He’s moved on, and doesn’t want you or Lindsay in the life he’s creating with Justin.” He tells me.

“I love how you think you know Lindsay, Brian, or me. Brian came to us when he needed friends, and he loved us. He never once told Justin he loved them.” I tell him.

“For Brian saying it to you and Lindsay became meaningless. I think he didn’t say it to Justin because it didn’t encompass all he feels about Justin. Anyone can say they love you, but it doesn’t mean they really do. For Brian, it was in everything he did to get Justin to believe in him again. He didn’t believe it was over for them, and did what it took to get Justin to see it wasn’t impossible that Brian loved him. Brian showed it by wanting Justin to have the things that Brian wasn’t sure he could give him. I would say that Justin not waiting around for Brian to take care of him, probably showed Brian that Justin wasn’t going to let him waltz in and out of his life. If he wanted a life with Justin, he had to show that what happened in the past wouldn’t happen in their future. Brian couldn’t let people like you or Lindsay near Justin, because you’re poison to him and Justin.” He tells me.

“We told the truth, Justin didn’t like hearing it.” I tell him.

“Michael here’s the truth, Brian doesn’t love you and he isn’t going to. Coming here just shows him why he doesn’t need you in his life. You didn’t come to wish him well, but to try to destroy anything in Brian’s life that didn’t include you.” Emmett tells me, standing with Ma.

“I kept talking so you could get here, but it’s not like anything seems to get through to your son.” Charles tells Ma.

“Michael it’s time to go home, run your shop, and live the lonely life you built for yourself.” Ma tells me.

“Not until someone tells me it’s a lie.” I tell them.

“What’s a lie, that Brian will suddenly wake up and realize you were the one for him?” Emmett sneers at me.

“He said… the… the… baby... “ I stopped, because I couldn’t say it.

“If they want you to know anything they’ll tell you. Go home, I like the life I built without your disapproval.” Emmett tells me, walking into his home slamming the door.

“Son, it’s time you and I stopped believing that we know anything. Staying here will only show you how little you knew Brian.” She tells me.

“Staying here only means watching from the outside, while all the people you thought of as friends go on being happy without you.” Charles tells me.

“He’ll come back to me.” I tell him, stomping past Ma.

I know it, I refuse to believe anything else. I don’t care if I have to wait until we’re two queens living in Palm Springs, it will happen. Ma followed behind me.

“Michael, is that really what you want to be, the only queen living in Palm Springs one day? Why not go out and find someone who wants to join you there.” She tells me.

“I’m not letting you drag me back like a child.” I tell her.

“I only came to tell you that if you don’t come back, I’m going to unlock your shop and put a free sign on the windows. How are you planning on supporting yourself when the store is empty? I really think you need to think about the unholy alliance you have with the Peterson twits. Carl already told me the DA only needs to know you’re still involved, to put your ass in jail too.” She tells me leaving for a cab.

BRIAN

Hannah and Gus were excited that Emmet included them in the wedding. I was attempting to at least not sound like an asshole. We were going to go to sin city, and I was going to be like a kid denied all the wonderful things that make it the town I love to call fun. Justin was already making sure we had a room in the no smoking section. He even talked about how to avoid any place I might get a whiff of smoke around my pregnant ass. I just sat eating the pie we had in the refrigerator, which only had the twat telling me that sugar wasn’t a food group. I really wanted to ask about all the times I walked in to him eating cookies and junk food. I just didn’t want him laughing, since he’s still the same weight he was when we met. I’ve been avoiding the scale, since my diet has become all things I once saw as evil on earth.

Emmett called to let us know that Deb managed to track down Michael, when he showed up in Emmett’s yard. Charles told me it was like talking to himself for all that Michael listened to anything anyone said to him. I can see the loser points piling up in Charles’s head every time he meets my past. Then I saw the same points being deducted on him when I met Miles. All I can say is, at least they have taste, to want Justin and me. Now if they could just go away.

“Brian, are you even paying attention?” Justin asks.

“No, just wondering how you and I ended up with twin stalkers.” I tell him.

“Because we attract crazy?” He asks, grabbing a fork and eating with me.

“Before you I never… never mind, pretend the baby is making me forget where the first two nut cases came from.” I tell him.

“I’m going to blame you, before you, I only had Daphne.” He jokes.

“We could share her, she’s like the only sane one in all the bullshit.” I tell him.

“She did have a huge crush on you.” He tells me.

“And you, at least she did until the deflowering.” I joke.

“Yeah, she told me later that I needed lessons.” He laughed.

“None that I want you to ever learn.” I tell him.

“Dad, they want to have a career day at school. I might have told my teacher you would do it. It’s just Gus told his teacher the same thing.” Hannah tells Justin.

“Are they at the same time?” Justin asks.

“No, but I think Gus wants to ask you.” She tells Justin.

“If you want me too, of course.” Justin tells Gus, who’s standing in the hall.

“I just thought it would be neat to see you draw something.” Gus tells Justin.

“Gus likes art.” Hannah tells us.

“It would make sense, you get it from your mom.” Justin tells him.

“I guess.” He tells us, distracted.

“Gus, it’s okay to talk about her.” I tell him.

“I don’t know how to feel about her.” Gus tells me.

“I’m going to do homework.” Hannah tells us, leaving so we can talk to Gus.

“It’s okay to love her. You can’t help it who you love, Sonny boy.” I tell him.

“Even when I don’t like her?” He asks us.

“Even then. My father and I don’t have a relationship because we don't ’t like how we view each other. In the end he's still my Dad, and at one time was a father who I looked up to. I’ll always love the man he was, but not like the man he became.” Justin tells him.

“I can’t say I love or hate my parents, just that having them in my life isn’t a possibility for me. I wanted you to have a good home with your mother but she can’t give that to you. Like Justin said, you love the mom she was at one time, but not the mother she became.” I tell him.

MICHAEL  

I hung up the phone with Nancy and thought it could work. I looked over to the back of Justin’s house and there sat Ted, as if waiting for me. He kept looking at me, about to say something but shaking his head instead.

“What, you don’t think I've been bitched out enough?” I ask.

“Why are you here?” He asks.

“It's my business not yours or anyone else’s.” I tell him.

“Okay, then make it easy on us and stop thinking running after Brian is going to change anything.” He tells me, getting up to leave.

“That's it?” I ask.

“I don’t see the point in telling you anything. It's like no matter what we say, you change it into what you want to hear. I no longer have time to worry about the world according to Michael Novotny. You just aren't important in our world any longer.” He tells me.

“I guess you suddenly think you're important because of your boyfriend. He's going to ditch you eventually.” I sneer, pissed.

“In your world that's how you want to see it. In my world, Brandon wants to marry me and raise children together, which makes it hard for me to fall for your constant need to put me down. Like I said, you're a waste of time.” He tells me.

“Wait until Lindsay finds out about Brian, then it won’t just be me you all have to deal with.” I tell him.

“I would love for you to call Lindsay, it would give the DA exactly what he wants, you in jail with Lindsay.” He tells me, getting in his car.

“So it's true?” I ask.

“Is what true?” He asks.

“You know what I'm talking about, it's not like Brian didn’t come to me and tell me.” I tell him.

“Really, I heard he saw you and showed you how he felt about you. I hope you enjoyed the moment where you got what Brian wanted to give you.” He laughs, leaving.

I thought about yelling at him, but he was already gone. If they think they've won then I'm sure what Nancy and Lynnette have planned is going to show them differently. Justin really thinks he's going to raise Gus. Not without a fight. It was time to show Brian what he's going to lose by staying with Justin. I walked over to Miles’s house to see him scowling when I push past him.

“I'm going home, where people fight for what they want, not sit around whining over a worthless boy toy.” I tell him, going to get my things.

LINDSAY

I read the papers my mother put in front of me. She kept tapping her foot, impatient that I didn’t sign already. I know there was a reason she wanted this, but the last thing I wanted was her being the person controlling anything about my life. It wasn’t like she did anything that had her winning in the mother stakes.

“You want to be guardian over me?” I ask.

“I need to be the one making your decisions, your father isn't helping you. He’s left you to that psychiatrist, who makes it sound like it’s my fault how you turned out. Your father washed his hands of you by not doing more. ” She tells me.

“Don’t you mean you, he still pays for me. I like Alex, he has such a low opinion of you.” I smirk.

“Lindsay, I'm going to admit I might have been wrong about Brian. He makes your father's fortune look like pocket change. We need to show Brian he can't walk all over us, and take away my only grandchild. I should be the one raising your son, so he understands the world we want him to live in.” She tells me.

“How old is my son?” I ask.

“He's five or six isn’t he?” She asks.

“I would think a loving grandmother would know, but then you never even came to see me at the hospital, did you?” I tell her.

“Why does that matter? I'm willing to make sure Brian can't keep…” She couldn’t even remember his name.

“George?” She tried.

“Why not read it from here.” I tell her, throwing the paperwork at her.

“Look, Lynnette’s friend said he’ll help us get your son. All I need is your signature so Brian can't fight me. I talked to that unfortunate man you had me helping, he's willing to help us.” She tells me.

“Why do you want Gus?” I ask, not seeing what it would do for her.

“It’s time to show Brian that he can’t ruin our lives and not lose something too. I think the amount we could make him pay for Gus’s care would be a way to get him back for what he did to us. Lynette’s husband served her with divorce papers, and with your father no longer supporting her, it’s not going to be easy to find the caliber of husband she deserves. You owe it to me and your sister, for getting into the mess you got yourself in. Your father left me, because of you.” She tells me.

“You don’t think Brian will fight you for Gus? He loves the son I gave him.” I tell her.

“Then he’ll do what we want if he wants Gus to have a good life. I think he’ll see that even without your father, there are people in this town who don’t like Brian raising Gus around perversion.” She tells me.

“I won’t sign until you can get me out of this place, why not suck the right dick for once.” I tell her.

“I don’t have to get down to your level to get what I want. All it takes is talking to the right judge, and even he feels you’ve been railroaded by the Kinney-Taylors. You will behave the way I tell you, if you want my help. Roy already agreed that you would be an excellent hostess for him, and you are going to do what I taught you to do.” She tells me.

“I can be whatever you want me to be, as long as you understand that in the end, anything Brian gives belongs to me.” I tell her, signing the paperwork.

She takes the papers and heads to the door. “Darling, according to the paperwork you just signed, anything you have, belongs to me.” She smirks, walking out.

BRIAN

I sat in front of Mel waiting for her to stop laughing. I really wished she’d stop acting like this was funny. She kept reading the document, laughing even harder through each read.

“What the hell do they think this will do?” Mel asks me.

“Apparently enough that Lindsay’s installed as a judge’s trophy wife.” I tell her.

“They can try anything they want, but Royboy isn’t going to keep Lindsay’s ass from prison. He is barely holding on to his seat on the bench. A few people are already filing suits against him for purposely ignoring the law. I really want to go handle this for the entertainment reasons alone. Ron is Lindsay’s court ordered guardian, Nancy is going to find out when Lindsay wanted to pretend crazy it meant the court appointed someone to oversee her. All of this is paperwork they sent you is about as good as the toilet paper in the bathroom.” She tells me.

“Apparently Royboy still has friends, because I’ve been ordered to appear with Gus.” I tell her.

“Then we’ll appear. But sadly, Lindsay has to explain to the judge why it’s necessary for her to be in the same room with you, Justin, and Gus. I wonder how much Nancy told Roy about what Lindsay did. He most likely is going to wish he stayed away from the triad.” Mel tells me.

I get up to get some ginger ale when baby isn’t being happy with me. I guess I shouldn’t have eaten the burrito. Mel giggled, rereading the paperwork. I pulled out cookies and sat back down with her.

“It’s strange they didn’t ask for Justin to be there.” She tells me, then stares at me.

“Why?” I ask, biting into the second cookie.

“They are trying to take Gus from you, and Justin is adopting him. They should have tried to stop that first. Unless they don’t know Lindsay’s already lost custody.” She tells me.

“We all know our little Lindsay will lie to get what she wants.” I tell her, picking up another cookie

“Brian, you do realize what you're eating, don’t you?” Mel asks.

Hannah comes in, grabbing the plate and putting it back on the counter. She grabbed fruit and cheese and put it in front of me. “Dad, the baby needs good foods, not the evil that kills abs.” She tells me, kissing my cheek and skipping out.

Gus came in, kissing Mel and bringing me a glass of milk.”Hannah said she forgot.” He tells me running out of the kitchen.

“Baby? As in, YOU having one?” Mel asks, as if it’s unbelievable.

“Yes, Justin apparently has amazing sperm, it managed to get past spermicide.” I tell her.

“Where is Justin?” She asks.

“He said something about making sure a package got to where it was going. He wasn’t thrilled to read this shit.” I tell her.

“Brian, even being pregnant, you can’t forget who you married.” She tells me.

JUSTIN

I decided to call Ron, I think he should know what the women were up too. What do these morons think they're going to accomplish, other than upsetting my family? My phone rang and my mom gets first place over all the bullshit.

“Honey, Tucker’s family wanted to have everyone over soon. I wanted to check when you, Brian, and the kids could come.” She tells me.

“We’re going with Emmett, he wants to get married in Vegas. After that I think we were planning on coming there anyway.” I tell her, pissed at why we were going there.

“What’s going on?” She asks, I never could get one over on her.

“Nancy thinks she can get custody of Gus from us.” I tell her.

“How is that possible when you already have custody? It’s not like Lindsay can even have visitation from prison.” She tells me.

“They got some judge, Roy Russo, he managed to get Lindsay out under his care.” I tell her.

“Russo? I think it’s time for your father and I to have a talk.” She tells me.

“Why? It’s not like he would give a shit, this would probably make him happy.” I tell her.

“I’m sure it would, but he knows if he wants any chance to know your daughter, he needs to do something for you.” She tells me.

“Why would he want to know Hannah?” I ask.

“He tried to ask about her a few times. He said you don’t really say much to him about her.” She tells me.

“He already hates me for being gay, I didn’t need him hating Hannah for being Brian’s.” I tell her.

“He can either step up to the plate or continue to live without you. At least offer him the chance to help you. Russo plays at the club your father goes too.” She tells me.

“I’m still going to call Lindsay’s father, he probably doesn’t know what’s going on. He’s the only one who wanted to stop Lindsay.” I tell her.

JEN

I went to see Craig at his store. He saw me and walked to his office, expecting me to follow. These are the days when I remember how few manners I was able to instill in Craig.

“What do I owe for now?” He asks.

“Nothing. I wanted to talk to you about Justin.” I tell him.

“Is he really married to Kinney?” He scowls.

“Yes, and they are raising their daughter and son together. You said you wanted to know your granddaughter. You help your son and I’ll try to convince Brian you're not the total shit he thinks you are. Don’t help and you can live with the fact that you’ll never know any of your grandchildren.” I tell him.

“They’re having more?” He asks.

“According to Brian, they will have another one. Molly told me to let you know if you can’t love one grandchild, she wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing any child she has near you either, if she becomes a mother.” I tell him.

“Jen, it wasn’t easy for me to accept Justin’s decisions, it wasn’t all about him being gay. In fact we do talk on occasion.” He tells me.

“You call the courtesy calls he makes just so he knows you're not dead, talking?” I ask him.

“What does he need me to do?” Craig asks.

“Roy Russo, you know him don’t you?” I ask.

“He’s a member of my club, why?” He asks.

“He got the woman who kidnapped Justin out of jail. Nancy Peterson wants to punish Brian for her divorce. I need you give Roy a history lesson. I have a feeling Nancy forgot to tell him what he was getting in Lindsay. All I need is for you to take me with you to the club, I’ll handle the rest.” I tell him.

“You’ve changed, you used to look to me to talk.” He tells me.

“I saw what waiting for you to do the talking did to my relationship with Justin. I learned that sitting by while you kicked him out of our home, wasn’t the person I ever wanted to be.” I tell him.

“How’s your new husband going to feel that you're spending time with me?” He smirks.

“Tucker doesn’t see you as much of a prize, in fact the only nice thing he could say about you was that Molly and Justin came from you. In fact, he gets to spend time with Hannah because he loves Justin. You want to meet her, you help your son, for once.” I tell him.

“Justin would be okay with that?” He ask.

“I think Justin still waits for the father who loved him to show up again. Give him a reason to believe you're still in there.” I tell him, leaving.

CRAIG

I picked up the phone to call. Justin always answers, but I know I’ve never made it easy on him. I only know about Hannah because Molly mentioned her to me.

“Hello?”

“Yes, can I speak to Justin?” I ask.

“Craig?”

“Brian, I wanted to know what I can do to help.” I stutter out.

“You want to help us? Do what, split up?” He sneers.

“I know you have no reason to like me, or even trust me. Jen told me there’s a problem with the woman who kidnapped Justin.” I tell him.

“We’ll handle it, I don’t want you fucking with my family.” He tells me.

“I need to do the right thing for once. I will never understand why Justin is gay, but he is my son.” I tell him.

“He never needed you to do anything but accept the fact that he was still the same kid he was before you found out he was gay.” He tells me.

“I know Russo, and I want to help.” I tell him.

“It won’t erase that you turned your back on Justin.” He tells me.

“Then I’ll live with it. Tell me what’s going on.” I tell him.

By the time Brian was done, I almost wanted to ask if he thought he deserved Justin. I didn’t say it though, because in order to know my granddaughter, I had to find a way for Brian and I to deal with each other. I also knew I couldn’t die without finding a way for Justin to forgive me for what I did to him.

“I’ll call Roy, before Justin manages to beat us.” I tell him.

“What is with this sudden change in you?” Brian asks.

“What makes you think it’s anything but wanting to be a better father?” I ask him.

“I read people for a living. So what’s causing you to suddenly care?” Brian asks me.

“Cancer changes you.” I tell him.

“Yes, it does. Maybe being pregnant changed me enough to want to believe in you. Don’t give me a reason to regret telling you anything.” He tells me, hanging up.

BRIAN

Emmett chose to get married in the freaking forest in Vegas? Justin decided that we were all going to be on our best behavior. Hannah had been reading about poker and blackjack, and told us the odds were better in cards because there were only so many cards and it wasn’t as random as a slot machine. Gus asked why it was illegal to count the cards, saying it would make it easier to win. Justin got us out of the hotel room and out to the pool, before Gus and Hannah got banned from casinos for life. I thought it showed intelligence when they both sat and showed us what they meant about counting cards.

Brandon was swimming laps, with Ted sitting by the side of the pool talking to Emmett. Charles was showing up tonight, he needed to help his team with a campaign before leaving. I ordered boring old orange juice and French Toast with a side of whipped cream when the perky waitress came by, flirting with Justin. I felt better when a guy walked by and dropped his number on the table. I threw it away, but at least I know I still have it, pregnant or not.

“So I heard what the Pittsburgh clan was up to.” Emmett announced, when the kids got in the pool with Brandon.

“Mel thinks it’s funny as hell that Nancy is desperate enough to try this.” Justin tells us.

“I think the fact that your father suddenly wants to help is funny as hell.” I tell him, still doubting Craig would do anything but figure out a way to screw Justin over, but hopeful for Justin’s sake.

“Like you or I need Craig’s help.” He says quietly, watching the kids.

“If what Brian thinks is right, then maybe he's trying before he dies.” Emmett tells him.

“Apparently. But what does it say when it's the only reason he's trying?” Justin asks.

“You reevaluate everything in your life. Cancer wipes out the bullshit you believed was important.” I tell him.

“What did it wipe out for you?” Justin asks.

“What?” Emmett looks between us.

“It made me see being successful isn't everything. I didn't want Gus growing up only remembering the rare times we saw each other. I wanted to be more for him than an inheritance.” I tell him.

“You would have been more than that to Gus.” Justin tells me.

“Not if I stayed in New York. I was being offered the job heading their European firm, if I would stay. All I saw was being completely out of Gus’s life. It's why I quit, before I forgot what was important. Then I found you again.” I tell him.

“I always thought you would.” Emmett tells me.

“What?” Justin asks.

“That he would come looking for you. You two had something from the beginning.” He tells us.

“I always thought so.” Ted says sitting down.

“It was called needing to get laid.” Justin jokes.

“No. It was different with you. We could see it in the way Brian ignored all of us. On a normal night he would have gotten Michael home, not caring the trick of the night was in the car. Instead he made Ted take us home. It's why Michael hated you, because from the first night Brian did something out of character.” He tells us.

“Up until you, Brian would talk about his night.” Ted tells him.

“Yeah, kind of like when you were in a coma. We were trading stories and when we asked Brian, he told us he had an early night, but for a minute he looked like he was reliving something awesome.” Emmett tells Ted.

“Was that the night after I saw you again at Babylon?” Justin asks him.

“All I know is you walked on the dance floor and showed Brian you could take anything he wanted. I remember dancing away from Michael, who was watching any dream he had of Brian dying when Brian stole you from the tricks.” Emmett tells him.

“He deserved a reward for not sitting on the sidelines.” Brian smirks.

“Plus, Brian seemed to get jealous if anyone got your attention. I mean all I did was hold Justin for your safe keeping, you’re the one who yanked him away.” Emmett teases.

“You couldn’t have handled Justin, even then, I barely managed. He’s tireless and had me on a caffeine overload after most nights. It killed me that he managed to keep up with school and me.” I tell them.

“And make a 1500 on my SATS.” Justin smirked, getting up to check on the kids.

“Do you think Craig is being serious?” Emmett asks me.

“I don’t know. For Justin’s sake I hope he was serious. Craig and I will never be friends, because he’ll never do enough to make up for how little he gave a shit about Justin.” I tell him.

“I’m lucky Charles’s family likes me. When we told them about the wedding, they didn’t get offended when we didn’t plan it so all of them could attend. His mother is planning a party when we go see them after the wedding.” Emmett tells us.

“Brandon really only had his mother and two other friends. I plan to invite my mother, she needs to meet Katie anyway.” Ted tells us.

“Brian?” Emmett stares at me, still wanting to know what I meant about cancer changing you.

“It was a few years ago. I survived and plan to be around for long time.” I tell him.

“Good, and at least things are different with you and Justin.” Emmett tells me, while Ted looks confused.

“He found out when the doctor did my first prenatal appointment.” I tell him.

“You’re pregnant?” Ted trying for surprise, yells.

“You’ve never been a good actor Ted.” I tell him, rolling my eyes.

CRAIG

Jen came in and sat at the table with me. She gave me the worried look she used to have when we were still married. I knew I couldn’t keep it a secret forever, but by not acknowledging it, I could pretend it wasn’t true.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asks.

“We aren’t married to each other anymore.” I tell her.

“It’s still something Justin and Molly will have to deal with.” She tells me.

“Does Justin or Molly know?” I ask.

“I’m sure Justin does, if Brian knows he wouldn’t keep it from Justin.” She tells me.

“I never understood why, out of all the people Justin could have chosen, it was Brian.” I tell her

“Brian gets Justin in a way we never did.” She tells me.

“Jen, I want you to know that no matter how I might have acted, I did love you.” I tell her.

“I loved you until you made it a choice between you and Justin. I’ll never be able to forgive you for how you treated Justin. So instead of sitting here trying to make amends, let's for once work together for our son.” She tells me.

“What do you have in mind?” I ask her, as a older man sits with us.

“Ron meet Craig.” She introduced us.

“I checked into what Justin told me. Roy really screwed up. I'm sure the judge who signed off on Lindsay’s release is going to be hearing from the state's attorney. I can't say sorry enough times for not checking in on Lindsay.” He tells her.

“Why would anyone sign off on a case that they weren't involved in?” I ask.

“My ex wife has always been good at changing the truth to fiction. I thought she'd be too busy scrambling to find another idiot to take care of her. I guess she found an idiot in Russo, but used Lindsay, since Russo likes them younger than Nancy.” He tells us.

We were waiting around when Roy came in and went straight to the bar, ordering a double, then saw Ron. You could tell he wasn’t expecting Ron to be here. I got up and left them sitting at the table, Justin needed me to be more than the guy who got everyone in the club.

“Having a bad day?” I asked, when he ordered another drink.

“I don’t need Ron here laughing that I fell for the shit Nancy got us into.” He tells me.

“There's nothing to laugh about. I'm just wondering where the guy who planned to save people one at a time went.” Ron tells him, sitting next to him.

“I got tired of being told how to handle them, from people like you. One of the people with influence wanted their kid to get off and I broke laws to get them off, the whole time making a victim feel like it was their fault for daring to take on the elite.” He tells him.

“Then why did you get involved in Nancy’s scheme?” He asks.

“I don’t like elite faggots even more. Ron, they want to raise a boy in a house with two perverts. I want to save that little boy from his father, who was screwing a minor.” He tells him.

“Justin was seventeen, about to be eighteen when they met. I would have agreed with you at one time, but I also know Brian took care of Justin when I wouldn’t.” I tell him.

“You call molesting your son and probably convincing he was gay being taken care of?” He sneers.

“How was Lindsay raising Gus in a home with her lesbian partner any different in your eyes?” Jen asks, standing behind us.

“Lindsay was just confused.” Russo defends.

“Lindsay tends to be confused often.” She tells him.

“She looked for someone who could love her the way Ron didn’t.” He tells us.

“I'm confused now, how did her daddy issues have her living with a woman?” I ask.

“She met that Kinney guy, he welcomed her to the lifestyle. She thought he loved her and did what he wanted her to. Your son is being led further down his path, you should be helping Lindsay. I heard all about Brian Kinney’s life and what he did to Lindsay and Justin. She only wanted to help your son.” He tells us.

“By kidnapping him?” Jen asks.

“She only wanted to talk to him, she was afraid for what Brian would teach her son. She wanted Justin to see he could have a better, more fulfilling life if he got away from the whore of Pittsburgh.” He tells us.

“I hope you enjoy my daughter while you can, because regardless of what document you and Nancy show up with, mine will beat it. I really just came to see how far you’ve fallen by believing anything Nancy and Lindsay cooked up. The Mayor and State’s Attorney aren’t happy you circumvented the law, and all because you thought you’d look good with Lindsay on your arm.” Ron tells him, walking away.

“He’s never cared what happened to Lindsay. I guess since you're with him, you don’t give a shit about your kid.” He tells us.

“I owe my son and his husband an apology for being as blind as you are. I blamed Brian, because for me it was better than believing I raised a gay son. I blamed Brian because he didn’t leave my son with no place to go when I kicked him out. I can see now that even if Brian hadn’t helped Justin, my son would have taken care of himself, and did. What I never bothered to see was that Justin made better decisions at seventeen than I did as his father, at forty. I cared about how it would look to people like you that Justin was gay. Listening to you talk about your battle to correct the wrongs the elite made you do, well it just makes me wonder why I cared what someone like you thinks. You had a choice of doing the things that broke the law, just like I had a chance of showing my son that being gay didn’t change who he was for me. I guess we are both losers in the game of life. Although I won’t lose as much as you will. One thing I do know about Brian is that he takes care of the people he loves.” I tell him.

“Brian also never avoids a fight. Especially one you, Lindsay, and Nancy won’t win. I think you’re about to find out that being a judge won’t protect you. Thank you for letting us know your views on homosexuality, I’m sure there are cases you tried that should be looked into.” Jen smiles, walking away.

“One more thing before I go, if my grandson suffers for one second because you helped the woman who tried to kidnap my son, I’ll expose all your secrets. Hell maybe I’ll just give it to the elite faggot. You’ll get to explain your penchant for perversion, being in a different country won’t make it seem any less like you were sleeping with a minor.” I tell him.

“They were seventeen.” He says, panicking.

“It won’t matter to anyone what age they are, all they will hear is minor and you. You really shouldn’t have pissed your ex wife off in the divorce, she hired a detective to follow you.” I tell him, whistling as I walk away.

JUSTIN

I had Gus and Hannah ready to walk down the aisle, before sitting down. It was really beautiful the way the chapel was set up to look as if Emmett and Charles were walking through a forest. Emmett chose a purple pinstriped suit to Charles in classic black, but with a deep purple shirt to match Emmett’s. Gus had the same shirt and black pants. Hannah wore a shimmering dress that changed from the deep purple to black as the light hit it. Charles’s parents managed to make it for the ceremony. Apparently my husband managed to get them on a flight to be here as our gift to them. Emmett had a dilemma about choosing a best man, since he felt Ted and I shared an equal place in his life, we told him to let Gus and Hannah do the honors for both of them.

Emmett and Charles walked in together behind our giggling children, and had the kids stand on either side of them. When asked if they wanted to say anything, Charles, as usual, a man who only spoke enough words to convey his thoughts, was short and sweet. Although it took Emmett, a man of many words, much longer to come to the same point.

“Emmett, you honor me by tying your life to mine forever. Thank you for showing me the world through your eyes and giving me the chance love you.” Charles said, kissing Emmett.

“Charles, you have shown me each day we have known each other, that you would stand by me. You didn’t give up on me when I couldn’t say yes, but asked again and again. I wish I’d been ready the first time, but my life before you made me wary and you were the one who ended up patiently waiting for me. You constantly amaze me with the way you love me and help me heal, when I felt lost in my world. I didn’t say no because I didn’t want to marry you, but because I wanted to be someone who deserved the love you gave me. I wanted to know I was whole when I married the man I love. Today I feel we stand here as equals about to commit to a new life together.” Emmett tells him, laying a huge kiss on Charles.

We all sat waiting for Emmett and Charles to come up for air. Charles’s parents were laughing as the minister just finished the words and pronounced them married. Gus and Hannah looked at us, not knowing what to do with the rings they hadn’t put on yet. Ted took each ring from the kids and helped them get them on, not interrupting the kiss. We left them at the altar and headed to the restaurant, letting Emmett and Charles follow or not, it wasn’t like they’d miss us.

We were all getting our appetizers when they showed up, still too lost in their own world to care about entertaining us.

“Do you want to do something like this?” Brandon asks Ted.

“I’m good with any way you want to do it.” Ted tells him.

“In other words, call Emmett when he gets out of his love coma enough to help you.” Brian tells Brandon.

“Are you guys going to do it again?” Brandon asks.

“Maybe someday, but for me what we did was fine.” I tell them.

“If Justin wants to, then we do. I never really cared how it happened, just that it did.” Brian tells us.

“Baby never really got the ‘wanting the whole package’.” Emmett tells them.

“I do when I get married.” Hannah announces.

I’ve never seen Brian turn that shade of gray before. We all changed the subject while Brian was probably imagining all the hoops he would put anyone who wanted to marry his kids, through.

MICHAEL

Lindsay showed up at my apartment, pissed at the world. You know, being Lindsay as usual. Nancy followed behind her, invading my place like the queen. I waited to see if Lynnette was following but they seemed to be it. I can’t really say I was disappointed that Lynnette kept her crazy ass away.

“Lindsay, there was nothing we could do.” Nancy tells her, while Lindsay silently fumes.

“This big plan you had, seems to have only made things worse.” Lindsay fumes.

“I thought you said the big shot would help?” I ask.

“I’m sure we don’t need you to add to the conversation.” Nancy tells me, like they weren’t in my place.

“Mother’s solution was to circumvent anything legal. Apparently, Russo is being investigated, and I’m being thrown back in jail. Thanks Mother.” Lindsay sneered.

“Why not thank your father and Justin’s parents? I got you out.” Nancy tells her.

“What about the lawyer who you told me was going to bring Brian to his knees.” I asked.

“It would have helped if one of you had told me Lindsay lost all rights to Gus; for threatening, on fucking tape, to kill Justin.” Nancy raged, then smoothed out her dress, calming down.

“Or YOU could have realized Daddy is no longer your whipped husband. I’m sure he’s laughing at you, expecting him to feel like he has to still agree with all your decrees. It would have been good of you to check that I couldn’t sign off for myself.” Lindsay sneers.

“If you two want to bitch at each other, do it somewhere else.” I tell them.

“Mother decided that I could stay here until something was decided.” Lindsay tells me.

“No you can’t, I’m not getting my ass in trouble for you again.” I tell them both.

“Then you need to hand over the keys to that dreadful shop to me and pack your bags before finding a new place to live.” Nancy tells me.

“Why would I give you the keys to MY store or leave MY place?” I ask.

“Neither belong to you any longer, since my daughter and I paid off the store and the rent here for six months. I wanted insurance that you would hold up your end, by putting it all in my name. Either Lindsay stays or you lose it all.” She tells me.

I left them in my apartment and went to get my old landlord's number. I never read the paperwork before I signed it and couldn’t remember where I put it. When I called him, he told me that when they paid for the store, the old lady insisted that she be the one on the title. My apartment at least still had me on the lease, she couldn’t get me off that. I was worried though with the way everyone talked, that the DA might put my ass in jail with Lindsay for this. I went to the police station, wanting to find out if I could get in trouble. Carl saw me and took me to his office.

“What’s your problem now?” He asked, continuing to work.

“Lindsay’s mother told me Lindsay has to stay with me. Ma made it sound like I could be in jail for having anything to do with Lindsay.” I tell him.

“Yet you let Lindsay in your apartment?” He asks.

“Yeah, but it’s not like I invited her, just let her in when she and Nancy came over.” I tell him.

“I know you were explained what harboring a fugitive was, why let her in?” He asks, getting up and calling someone to the door. He spoke quietly to the other cop before sitting back down.

“The DA told me, but it wasn’t like I knew Lindsay did anything.” I tell him.

The door opened and another cop came in, shutting the door and leaning on it. “Do you know now that Lindsay did anything?” Carl asks me.

“Of course, it was all over the news.” I tell him.

“So there is no doubt in your mind that Lindsay is a fugitive?” The guy asks from the door.

“She broke the law, so yeah.” I tell him, turning to see Carl shake his head.

“Michael Novotny, you're under arrest for harboring Lindsay Peterson, who fled before being put back into custody.” The guy says, handcuffing me.

“I don’t understand why am I being arrested when I didn’t know she did anything.” I tell them.

“Your being arrested for acknowledging that Lindsay was once again hiding out in your home. You said Nancy brought her?” Carl asks.

“She’s the one trying to hide Lindsay!” I tell him.

“Don’t worry Mr Novotny, you and the Petersons can share a cell with Russo. You’ll love his opinions on you.” The guy says, as he takes me to the back of the station.

BRIAN

We left Vegas, with plans to go to Pittsburgh, but Jen called to let us know we could just visit, since it was unlikely Nancy would have time to sue us while defending herself. I called my lawyer when Jen let me know that Nancy was checking out a new decor. She let me know that she would see that the case was dropped and get back to me. It took an hour before she called back saying Lynnette wanted to talk to me and Justin about her nephew. I told her to tell Lynnette that we didn’t feel the need to talk to her about a nephew she didn’t even know.

I called Jen back to thank her for helping us. She let me know Craig and Ron had helped just as much, and that Craig dug up dirt on Russo. I told her about Lynnette’s request and that we had no plans to talk to her. We hung up, trying to figure out why these women kept trying when they lost completely.

Justin and I talked about what Craig did. He asked if I would be okay keeping Hannah and Gus while he went to see Craig alone. I think he wanted to see if anything really changed with Craig, before bringing our kids around him. I wanted to be there but he needed to do this without us, the way I would want to if it was any of my family.

JUSTIN

I've seen him all my life; through the eyes of a child who worshipped the hero he was, the kid who made him proud for being intelligent, and the teen who he turned away for being gay. Later as the stranger I sometimes talked to, but never visited. I put him in a place in my life where I couldn't feel the fissures his indifference made to my life. Through it all I wanted my father to be able to love me the way he once did. So I stood in front of his door, unsure of why I was even here. I got up the courage to knock, still not understand why now, only when he's dying.

“Justin, come in.” He tells me, smiling and welcoming me.

“I wanted to know how you are.” I tell him.

“Good, well, better right now. Do you want something to drink?” He asks.

“Sure, anything.” I tell him, looking around. “What happened to your girlfriend?” I ask, when it looks more like a bachelor's house.

“It didn’t work out, she wasn't looking to settle down.” He tells me, handing me a cup of coffee. “I don't know how you take it.” He points at the cup.

“Black most of the time, Brian puts so much sugar in it, it's like sugar flavored with coffee.” I tell him, not sure about saying anything about Brian in front of him.

“How does he stay in shape? Trust me, it catches up when you least expect it.” He asks.

“Brian tends to work it off.” I tell him.

“He told me you're having another child.” He tells me.

“This one was just as much of a surprise as Hannah was.” I tell him.

“A happy one though, when your mother told me she was having you, I was walking on air.” He tells me.

“It must of sucked when you fell back to earth years later.” I tell him, trying not to sound bitter, but failing.

“Probably more for you, when you found out I wasn’t the father you needed.” He tells me.

“It wasn’t a good day, but I survived it and everything that was thrown at me after.” I tell him.

“It's something you were always capable of. You never needed me or anyone to tell you who you were or where you were headed in life. Your mother and I… I always felt like I was ten steps behind when it came to you. You were more intelligent than I was by the time you were thirteen. I had a big future planned for you, but it wasn’t a future you would have wanted.” He tells me.

“I couldn’t be you, the football star and businessman.” I tell him.

“I didn’t know how to be a father to a gay son.” He tells me.

“I'm a father to two kids. Whether they're straight, gay, or undeclared, it doesn't change how I love them.” I tell him.

“I want to be the father of my son, but I need help.” He tells me.

“It just feels like you want it because of the cancer.” I tell him.

“I've always wanted it, but I grew up in a time when it wasn’t accepted as easily.” He tells me.

“So did I, it's not like the world has changed that much. I just didn’t let bigotry win.” I tell him.

“This was so much easier when I could blame Brian.” He laughed.

“He’s used to everyone blaming him.” I tell him.

“I wasn’t blaming him, so much as wanting to find a reason that it wasn’t something I did.” He tells me.

“It’s who I am, you couldn’t change it or find a reason for why I turned out gay, it just is. It's something I knew long before I met Brian. If it wasn't Brian, it would have been someone eventually. Brian only showed me what I wanted to see.” I tell him.

“What happened that you parted, leaving you alone to raise Hannah?” He asks.

“Life happens. He got offered a job in New York, which was his big dream. I was a high school kid he couldn’t take with him. I walked away when he stopped calling or answering me. He only found out about Hannah a while ago. Now he's determined to be the best father he can be.” I tell him.

“How did Lindsay become involved?” He asks, which only showed how little he knew about me after I left the house.

“She's my son Gus’s mother. At one time I thought she was a friend of mine. I found out differently when Brian left. The only friends I really have from here are Daphne and Emmett. There are a few others, but that only happened recently. Lindsay’s feels like I'm trying to live the life she failed at. Only I managed to do what she couldn’t, so she tried to hang on to Brian to prove she could have something I couldn’t.” I tell him.

“She lost everything, because she couldn't accept her own failure.” He tells me.

“You think there's a life lessons in that?” I ask.

“I think my life is a repeat of Lindsay’s, but I don’t want to continue being the father you try to forget.” He tells me.

“I wish it didn’t feel like it was only because of what you're going through that you want to mend fences.” I tell him.

“I let the distance grow between us because I didn’t know how to cross the divide. I didn’t know how to tell you what a sorry piece of shit I was for not seeing past everything to the son who only ever made me proud to be his father. You didn’t change, but I couldn’t see past every plan I had for you being thrown out. I expected you to want what I wanted, and when you didn’t, it felt like you were saying I wasn’t good enough. You being gay just made it easier to say it was your fault, not mine. I want to know the man you became and not be someone your kids barely know because I couldn’t accept my son. The one who never gave me a reason to be ashamed of him, but of myself.” He tells me.

I left almost feeling sorry for the man who kicked me out at seventeen, not caring what happened to me. I wanted to talk to Brian, because if our children were going to meet their grandfather, I needed him to be okay with it. I left there and went to see Lindsay, I wanted to tell her one last thing I managed that she couldn’t.

Carl told me I just missed Brian and my mom, but checked to see if Lindsay would see me. I didn’t doubt she would. Carl led me into the room where she sat, looking bored.

“Hello, miss me?” She asks.

“Not really, but you know, I did find something you and I had in common.” I tell her.

“Really, you're finally starting to see that you lived my life.” She tells me.

“In one way. I always wanted my father to approve of my life and want to be my father. The way you wanted your mother to.” I tell her.

“It’s one thing you and I will never get.” She tells me, sounding resigned to it.

“I guess you won’t, but apparently my father was proud of me even when he couldn’t say it. It was nice to hear it though.” I tell her, getting up.

“He probably wants something from you.” She sneers.

“To meet his grandchildren, not something even your father ever asked to do.” I tell her.

“When will he meet the newest one?” She asks, rolling her eyes.

“Brian’s due later this year.” I left with her screaming all sort of colorful congratulations.

BRIAN

Jen and I left to find out what was going on with Lindsay, Nancy, and Michael. We walked in on a sight I never wanted to see in any lifetime. I’m sure Deb and Carl wished we hadn’t seen it either. Jen and I waited outside the door but I really just couldn’t deal with it. When they opened the door, I couldn’t even offer my usual smirk, I just chose to look at the desk while we talked.

“Jesus Brian, believe it or not old people do it too.” Deb tells me, throwing up her hands in the air.

“To what do we owe the honor of your unexpected visit?” Carl asks.

“I just wanted to know that we aren’t going to have a repeat of Lindsay getting out.” I tell Carl.

“Lindsay is being advised to just plead out, if she does it will reduce the years, but part of the deal is, when she is released she’s is prohibited from contacting you or Justin, unless you both allow it. Michael will get probation that he will serve in Pittsburgh. Nancy on the other hand is finding out that you don’t circumvent the justice system if you don’t want the system to show you why. She and Roy are going to find out who they are doesn’t matter, because of what they did.” He tells me.

“Michael gets to find out what happens to people who take something just because they offer it to you. Nancy owns his store and the lease on his apartment. He really believed they paid for everything out of the kindness of the Peterson women’s hearts.” Deb says, shaking her head.

“Thanks, I just wanted to know.” I tell them, getting up to leave.

“Carl.” Jen calls as we walk out.

“Yes?” He asks.

“Next time lock the door.” She tells him.

When we got back to her house Jen was laughing that I couldn’t look at Carl and Deb. Justin came in, not looking upset after spending time with Craig. It was a point in Craig’s favor, which is the only point he’s managed to get from me.

BRANDON

My mom was holding Katie, thrilled to have a grandchild. She told Mel, with Ted and I getting married it made Katie family to her. We let her have Katie time, before we went out to dinner together. Emmett was back from his honeymoon and told us they would love to watch her for us. Mel needed to get out of the house and not just for work. Ted was getting worried about her not even trying to meet people. Katie was a great reason, but with all the shit she went through with Lindsay, Ted thought she didn’t trust her own judgement.

I worried too, since Ted and I were planning on moving into our own house. Mel couldn’t use Katie to keep from getting back out there. I wanted our daughter to have well balanced parents, which meant getting her to see there was still life to be lived. We invited her to dinner with us because Ted had an idea on how to help her. I got a little worried when Mel rounded on Ted after seeing who Ted invited to dinner. Leda just laughed at Mel's glare and dragged her off to a table for two.

I think Ted became Mom's favorite for how he cared about the people in his life. Ted didn’t call her Wendy, but Mom, telling her he was going to start the relationship with her the way it would end. I was starting to feel like the bad son.

“I was thrilled when Brandon told me you agreed to go out with him. He'd been complaining you didn't seem interested.” Mom tells on me.

“I didn’t take him seriously at first. I was judging him as if he was someone else. Which he straightened out after our first date.” He tells her.

“I told him picking up random guys for the night wouldn’t have anyone believing he was really looking for a relationship.” She tells Ted.

“Until I met Ted, I hadn't met anyone I wanted to be with more than once.” I tell her.

“If you wanted anyone to take you seriously you would have been less free with the love.” Mom laughs. “How about you Ted, any relationships, before Brandon?” She asks.

“I was on and off with one guy. We were always in the wrong place in our lives, I’m not sorry it ended, because I met Brandon who was in the right place at the right time.” He tells her.

“I love you.” I tell him, kissing him.

“So when are you two planning to get married.” Mom rubs her hands together.

“Soon, he's everything I want.” I tell her.

MEL

I keep reminding myself Katie loves her father, but her father might still be dead for doing this. Leda was the ‘wild child’ phase of my life. She never wanted to settle down or have a family. Everything was the next big thrill or doing shit that could get you killed. I left her after another big fight about wanting to settle down not party my life away. Once again I'm faced with the only woman I really wanted, before I settled for Lindsay. I know that now, which makes me seem like an idiot for staying as long as I did with Lindsay. I wish I could say Lindsay was worth the time I spent in that prison of a life. Gus was the only good thing that came out of it. Why did Leda have to still be as beautiful as she was when we were together? I feel like I'm a hundred and look it too, lately.

“You don’t look a hundred years old.” She tells me.

“I'm losing my mind, I didn’t even realize I said it out loud.” I tell her.

“I'll agree your not looking as good as you usually do, but I heard kids do that to you.” She tells me.

“They also make everything else seem less important. I like that my kids need me.” I tell her.

“Is that why you left me and took up with ‘haughty bitch’?” She asks.

“What do you mean?” I ask, not wanting to explain Lindsay.

“We argued a lot about me not needing you. I didn’t understand why it was a problem for you. I didn’t think a relationship had to contain a weak partner while the other one had to be the strong one. It’s sounds a bit unbalanced to me. I like knowing the person I’m with can take care of herself, not depend on me to take care of everything.” She tells me.

“I wanted a stable life, all we did was drink, party and live like nomads. I wanted children, you didn’t.” I tell her.

“You never made it sound like it was important, just something you would use in a fight.” She tells me.

“You told me from the beginning you would never want that life.” I tell her. Thinking of what Justin went through with Brian.

“I loved you enough that I would have made what you wanted important. We could still have fun and have a family. One isn’t exclusive of the other.” She tells me.

“Leda, I left when you thought having an orgy was a way to celebrate being together for a couple of years. I wanted it just to be us.” I tell her.

“Is that what you want from me, or just in general?” She asks.

“I want to have a relationship with someone who for once, can love me like I’m the reason they wake up every morning. I saw someone I never thought could settle down manage it, and be happier than I ever thought he would be. Hell, I see it in all my friends. Ted is over his head in love with Brandon, when I thought he’d wait the rest of his life for someone else.” I tell her.

“Brandon would be hard for any gay man to resist, well other than that guy Lindsay wet her panties over all the time.” She tells me.

“Brian?” I ask, thinking she never hid it from anyone.

“Yeah, whatever happened to him?” She ask.

“He’s married to the kid he meet the night Gus was born, Justin Taylor.” I tell her.

“Wow, he was the one person I didn’t see settling down. Not that I knew him that well, I never liked anyone who could be friends with Lindsay.” She tells me.

“He isn’t anymore, Lindsay was trying to keep him and Justin apart. Justin had a child with Brian too.” I tell her.

“Bet that pissed off Miss Perfect. She didn’t seem to like sharing Brian with anyone, including that little whining guy.” She tells me.

“I could spend hours telling you the idiotic things Michael and Lindsay seem to think they could do to get Brian away from the only person he ever loved.” I tell her.

“How about spending hours telling me what it will take for us to try again.” She asks. “I’m not really interested in people who needed a life, but the possibility of making a life with the chick who I never forgot.” She tells me.

BRIAN

I didn’t stop Craig from meeting Hannah and Gus, but reserved the right to stop it if Craig said anything to upset Justin or the kids. I didn’t care how he felt about me, because I didn’t really see us becoming more than two people who loved Justin and my kids. Jen and Justin understood my stance on this and didn’t push me on it. Craig and I managed to be civil as he visited or came when we went to Pittsburgh. Craig knew enough not to push me either when our history wasn’t the best. I could see it bothered Justin that Craig and I barely talked to each other, but what’s to say to the man who tried to kill me one night.

Craig was sitting outside in the backyard and I decided to at least try to make it less tense between us. I could see he’s lost weight and was having a hard time with eating. At lunch he kept talking to the kids and pushing things around his plate instead of eating it. I knew it was all the shit they put in you that caused the lack of appetite, on top of the fact that it revisited, normally not long after you ate it.

“I found things that aren’t exactly my favorite foods easier to eat.” I tell him staring at the trees at the end of our property.

“It doesn’t matter, I want to at least make it to see the next baby.” He tells me.

“Are they telling you, you might not?” I ask, because no one has asked exactly what form of cancer he has.

“Prostate cancer isn’t exactly predictable.” He tells me, shit, any of them but that one.

“How late were you in catching it?” I ask.

“Too late for anything they're trying to work. I really just want to say fuck it and die without feeling like absolute shit everyday.” He tells me.

“Why haven’t you? Chemo isn’t going to get any better.” I tell him.

“If I can live long enough to meet the baby, it’s enough for me. I began saying to myself if I could just meet Hannah than that was all I wanted, but I’m greedy, I want to see the face of the one you're going to have. Although I might have used up all my wishes when Justin was able to forgive me for the father I was.” He tells me.

“Justin always had this idea in the beginning you’d get over him being gay and be the father who loved him. I tried to stop him from wishing for it, because I didn’t see it as something I could give him. I hated watching him talk to Jen and being told you wouldn’t talk to him. I knew what that was like and wanted to keep Justin from feeling it. I tried to make it so he wouldn’t think about it, but Justin’s determined to believe, even when everything tells him not to.” I tell him.

“You know, even Jen didn’t think you loved Justin. I can’t say I was sorry when I heard you left him behind. I really thought he would come home.” He tells me.

“He couldn’t live the way you told him he had to. I thought he would forget me and move on to someone who could give him the love story he wanted. Only, he was the first person I thought of when I couldn’t see my life continuing on the way it was. I let myself believe he forgot me, not knowing everything I lost when I left him. It took more than showing up at his door and expecting him to just welcome me back.” I tell him.

“He told us after you met you were the only person he wanted. He practically screamed he loved you to us.” He tells me.

“He told me too, but I didn’t see what he seemed to. I knew he was different, because I didn’t push him away, but kept wanting to see him. Of course I was also trying to live up to the hype of my reputation, and a boyfriend wasn’t on the menu. There’s just something about him that wouldn’t let me walk away from him, until I found a way by leaving. Now I know I was just avoiding what he meant to me.” I tell him.

“We have that in common, not understanding who we walked away from.” He tells me.

“Yeah, guess we both figured it out.” I tell him, starting to worry that Craig and I had something in common.

JUSTIN

Times really were changing, my dad actually said he'd come to Ted’s wedding. Brian mentioned to him that we were all staying in Chicago for Ted’s wedding and if he wanted to come, there was an extra invite for him. I stayed out of this very strange kinship they found with each other, but only because Brian seemed to understand what my father was going through. Even Tucker started showing up and taking my Dad to his appointments. Brian thought that was bizarre, but really, he and my father talking to each other was something I never thought would happen either. Tucker said he did it for Molly and me, which just showed us that my mom picked an amazing husband.

Brandon decided he wanted to be married sooner than it would take to plan a bigger wedding, and had his first fight with Ted. Brian had to take Ted out back while Emmett and I had to calm Brandon down.

“I don’t need all the shit Emmett did to be happy.” Brandon complained.

“Why the rush?” Emmett asks.

“I want my future to start. I want the ring that says I'm part of the man I love. The rest doesn’t matter to me. Doesn't he see being married is all that matters, not where it happens?” He asks us.

“I understand, but Ted doesn’t want you to look back on it and wish you had done it differently.” Emmett tells him.

“Do you wish you and Brian had done it differently?” He asks me.

“I wouldn’t want us to have the problems we were having with Lindsay but no, I’m with you. I only wanted to marry the man I’ve loved since I was seventeen.” I tell him.

“I’ve never loved anyone, until Ted.” He tells us.

“Then we do it any way you want. I didn’t want you to feel like you had to give up something because we’d have to wait for it.” Ted tells him with Brian behind him, shaking his head.

“I’m going to barf at this love fest, so can we figure out when and where you two want to do this?” Brian tells them.

“Yeah Dad, barfing isn’t any fun.” Gus says and Hannah agrees.

The wedding was going to be in the backyard of their new house with Wendy helping Emmett get it together for them. They invited everyone at work, and Deb, Carl, and my family. Brian told me our part was diverting the meltdown, and the honeymoon.

Mel showed up at our house to see Gus, and Brian left me to deal with her, saying Theodore was going to pay for bringing problems into our house.

“Ted set me up with Brian’s twin.” She tells me.

“Leda only wishes she was me.” Brian yells, continuing to his office.

“Leda thinks she’s ready to settle down with me.” Mel tells me.

“Why don’t you believe her?” I ask.

“She was like Brian, partying, drugs, and rock and roll. She use to say the only way she’d stay in the burb’s was if she lost her mind. Now she acts like we can have both. I'm not ready, Katie doesn’t need my attention being on anyone but her.” She tells me.

“Katie has three parents who can give her what she needs, when one might need time for other things. It's something it took me a while to see, with Brian’s help; that my life couldn’t be only about Hannah. I know it was my way of avoiding getting in relationships to avoid rejection. We can't live with expecting every relationship to be like the last one.” I tell her.

“Your last one is the one you have now.” She pointed out.

“I don’t see it that way. Brian isn’t the same man he was. He doesn’t let the things that bothered him before be more important than what we have. You're letting the past blind you to the possibility that what we wanted when we were young isn’t always what we need in the future. Do what my mom practically shouted at me, figure out who she is now and see if there's a future with her, or let her go and find the person you see sharing everything with.” I tell her.

“I hate how even with all this time gone by, I still don't trust myself when it comes to the women I loved.” She tells me.

“Lindsay didn't know how to love anyone but herself. She only saw what she could get out of people. It fooled us all, because she was great at making you think what she did was because she loved you. She didn’t love, but saw pieces she could move to get what she wanted. You were someone who fulfilled a purpose in her game, and using your relationship with Lindsay to avoid others, means she won.” I tell her.

“It's not just Lindsay. I never felt like I was enough for Leda.” She admitted, as Brian came in, eating a brownie.

“It wasn’t you, just like it wasn’t Justin. I didn’t fuck other guys because Justin wasn’t enough. At the time it was because settling down sounded like becoming like my parents, so I ran from the idea with each trick that didn’t give what Justin did. For Justin, he never had to wonder what it was like with other people. I'm sure it was different for Leda, but in the end, for us, the things we did with other people weren’t because one of us was lacking.” He tells her.

“It's how I saw it.” I tell her.

“I felt like I should have been enough for the woman I love.” She tells us.

“I would think the fact that she showed up here when Ted found her in Texas, should tell you that. Now, can you go pester the idiot who wanted you to be happy? Justin has things he needs to do for me.” Brian tells her, walking out.

“Is it ever enough for you two?” She asked, when we all know what Brian wanted, since there was evidence his shirt didn’t hide.

“According to him, it’s never enough. Want to take the kids to the park or a movie?” I ask her.

“Sure, anything but have them asking why you two never leave the bedroom.” She smirks.

“Or the couch you're sitting on, the kitchen table, and hey, have we christened the downstairs closet yet?” Brian smirks when Mel runs from the room to get our impressionable children away from the perverts.

I headed to the bedroom as Brian kissed the kids and let Mel take them. I waited, but he didn’t come upstairs after they left, so I went back down naked to find him. He wasn’t in the hallway and so I checked the closet we christened when Brian dragged me in, to hide from the kids who were playing hide and seek, for his own game of hide and fuck. He was sitting in his office typing away.

“What a big boner you have.” He tells me, acting like he was busy.

“Better to fuck you with my dear.” I joke.

“Really? I was hoping you say choke me with.” He said, when I slid between him and the desk, and sat on it.

Brian leaned forward and licked the pearls of precum leaking from the tip of my cock, then sucked every inch of me into his mouth and ran his hands under me until he could tease my rim. Using his wet finger he slid in just the tip, before he pulled back and slid it all the way in, rubbing my prostate while licking and sucking every inch of my cock. I pushed the papers aside and laid back, putting my feet on the arm of his chair. I wanted him to have all the access he needed.

He added two more fingers, spreading me for what was to come. He continued sucking me until I couldn’t hold back and swallowed every drop, still sucking me until I was shaking. I laid there, almost too sensitive, when I felt the blunt tip of his cock demanding entrance. He pulled me to the edge of the desk as he thrust all the way in me. I was shaking because it was too much, but he didn’t let it stop him as he leaned over me to grip the end of the desk and thrust harder and faster into me. He licked my neck then put his lips to mine to use his tongue to mimic what his dick was doing to me. Neither of us cared about the noise when no one but us was there to hear. Brian kept going until I got hard again and used one hand to stroke me in time with his thrusts. I didn’t think I could do it, but then Brian knew what to do to get what he wanted from me, and when I came again, he stilled, spilling into the condom I didn’t even realize he was wearing.

“When did you put that on?” I ask him.

“When I went to get the brownie.” He smirks.

“I really have to learn to stop letting you think it’s a sure thing.” I tease.

“I think you should be more impressed that I stayed hard while talking all that bleeding heart shit to Mel.” He tells me, pulling out.

“I refuse to feed your already inflated ego.” I tell him, kissing him and deciding we have time for a few more rounds. “I don’t think we’ve christened the garage.” I tell him, walking quickly towards it.

EMMETT

I honestly wanted to leave the fool to kill himself, but he was once a friend that Charles liked. I couldn’t judge Charles when I felt the same way about Michael. Of course, Michael hadn’t made it to a falling down drunk who wrecked his car because the man he wanted didn’t want him. Michael and Miles at least have jail in common. I really didn’t see the point in bailing him out, but Charles told me that Miles wasn’t getting off, but being given a chance to clean himself up and get on with his life. We were led to the room he was stinking up, and found him with his head on the table.

“Miles, it’s time to stop this.” Charles told him.

“Why? It’s not like anything I want ever happens.” He tells Charles.

“You couldn’t be happy with someone who loved you. Travis tried, but you wanted him to be someone he couldn’t be. I couldn’t, and neither could Justin. All you’re doing is making it harder to see Trina by continuing not to accept that the men you wanted didn’t want you.” Charles tells him, confusing me.

“We could have been perfect, but you constantly wanted anyone but me. Justin didn’t even notice me.” He tells Charles, clearing up something I never knew.

“Just like Justin, you could never be what I wanted. I wasn’t going to pretend with you just to make you happy. I told you that when you tried to convince me years ago. Justin told you that multiple times, but it was falling on deaf ears. I want to give you a chance to clean up your life and still be allowed to see Trina, but it’s up to you if I help you one more time. I think it would be good for you to stay with your sister and find a way to stop wanting things that you can’t have. Getting drunk and getting behind the wheel could have killed someone who didn’t deserve it, because you can’t see what your doing to yourself.” He tells him.

“Why can’t I stay here?” He asks.

“To watch Emmett and I be happy? Or have to see Brian and Justin’s life? Why would you think watching life while it passes you by would be a good thing? You can get help and find a life where you could be happy. Staying here only means losing what little relationship you have left with Trina, the person who should mean more to you. Trina needs you to stop treating your life like it doesn’t include her.”  Charles tells him.

“Why are you here if you didn’t care?” He asks Charles.

“At one time you were my friend, and I stand by the people in my life, but I won’t let it interfere with my marriage or future. I came because right now you don’t have anyone who is willing to help you.” He tells Miles.

Miles agreed to go to his sister’s and see the counselor she and Charles scheduled him to see. I walked out, wondering how I missed Miles loving Charles.

“It was long before we met, and when he married Travis I assumed he’d gotten over it.” Charles tells me in the car.

“It’s just, after meeting Travis and knowing you and Justin, it’s like he didn’t know what he wanted. None of you have anything in common.” I tell him.

“Miles wanted anyone he thought would want him. He spent his life with men dropping to their knees to be with him, and then found out he was big fish in small pond in the small town he came from. He moved here to work for me and was no longer the guy who could get anyone. He couldn’t get my attention and then fought to get Travis’s, but when Travis gave in and married him, he no longer wanted what he could have and Travis got out when it became obvious. Then he meets Justin, who was still in love with Brian, and Miles saw another person who didn’t notice him. Miles confused the lack of attention as us wanting him to shove himself in our lives. I wouldn’t have helped him, but Trina needs a father, not the headstone Miles was headed for.” He tells me.

“I’ve never understood wanting someone who couldn’t love you. I watch Michael and Lindsay, trying to figure out what made them continue to believe they could do something that would change how Brian felt about them. They lost everything because they couldn’t see that Brian gave them the only thing he could, friendship.” I tell him.

“Emmett, we always want things that we can’t have.” He tells me.

“I got what I wanted.” I tell him, kissing him as we arrived home.  

TED

I came to Pittsburgh to help Cynthia, and so Brandon could hang out with Kevin and Jason, who missed him not being around. I told Brandon we could meet at Woody's after I was done. He wanted to celebrate with his friends before we went back.

No surprise, Michael was there, drowning his life in a bottle. I could have been him, if Brandon hadn’t come into my life. I would have waited for Blake and the relationship I wanted us to have, not realizing there was someone who could give me what Blake couldn’t. Unlike Michael, I could go on and have the life I dreamed of with someone else. I'll always love Blake, but it's not going to be the way I love Brandon and the love we have for each other. Michael couldn’t let go of the idea of Brian long enough to see what else was out there.

“I told you he'd get bored with you. He could have anyone, and you think he wanted you.” Michael smirks as he slurs his words.

I was confused, then Michael tilted his head at a group of guys playing pool. Brandon wasn't there. Then I saw Blake kissing the man in his life, and showing off a ring. Why did Michael think that mattered to me, other than being happy for Blake?

“How does it feel to have the man who should have been yours, planning a life without you?” Michael asks.

“He didn’t BELONG to me Michael, he's free to be as happy as I am with Brandon.” I tell him.

“You’re full of shit if you expect me to believe that. You spent years wanting him, and he leaves you for someone who didn't stand by him the way you did. You can't sit there and act like it doesn't tear you apart that he’s giving someone else your life.” He tells me.

“He didn’t owe me his life and happiness just because at one time we supported each other. We parted as friends, and that includes me not seeing his happiness as anything but what I wanted for him. It didn’t have to be him, just like for him, it didn't have to me, for either of us. That's something you never understood.” I tell him, ready to leave this stupid idea and conversation he seems to think makes a difference to me.

“You need to listen to me, you are going to ruin Brandon’s life.” He tells me.

“You think you know all about it, because you ruined every relationship you could have had?” I ask.

“I didn’t love you.” He says, like he thinks it's about him.

“I didn’t really love you either, but why bring that up?” I ask.

“Because maybe I was the reason you and Blake didn’t work. If you tried again you'd have the man you wanted.” He tells me.

“I'm confused, are you talking about you or Blake?” I ask.

“Blake. I'll never want you. You need to want what you can have.” He tells me, as if any of this makes sense in his head.

“I have the man I want, and who wants me, so you’re not making any sense.” I tell him.

“Ted. I thought that was you.” Blake says, coming over and hugging me. “I got engaged.” He tells me, excited.

“I hope he makes you as happy as Brandon makes me.” I tell him.

“He does. But without you being in my life I might have let him go. Thank you for being in my life and telling me not to give up on love.” He tells me, kissing my cheek before running back to his fiance.

“He'll figure it out one day.” Michael mumbles.

“What? Not that it matters.” I tell him.

“He's settling for someone. He’ll end up trapped in a relationship, with kids, wishing for the person he really loves, and unhappy because of the life he's stuck in. You'll end up seeing Brandon for who he is and being miserable because you didn’t listen to me.” He tells me.

“I’ll have Emmett teach me the praise Jesus, that Ted didn’t listen to your advice. Ted, why not go say hi to my friends, they want to congratulate us on the wedding.” Brandon tells me, kissing me in a way that only makes me want us to be somewhere alone.

BRANDON

Kevin told me that Michael was spending all his time getting drunk and doling out advice on how everyone was screwing up their lives. Jason and Kevin had gotten to the point where they stopped feeling sorry for Michael and just stayed away from him. When we walked in, Blake was kissing Ted on the cheek before running back to his group of friends. I can’t say I enjoyed watching it, but I also know that Ted loves me, not Blake. I told my friends to get a table while I got Ted away from Michael. It bothers Ted that Michael is constantly screwing up and I know he wishes there was some way to get Michael to see it.

I heard what Michael was saying, and I wasn’t thrilled he made it sound like I’m going to fuck up with Ted. Michael doesn’t see that Ted holds my heart and always will. I let Ted leave us alone before explaining to Michael what I think of his advice.

“Why do you think you know anything about me or Ted?” I ask.

“I know the man you are, and Ted will never be enough to keep you.” He tells me.

“Just like you know Brian, and that Justin isn’t enough for him? Why do you change the facts, because all it’s getting you the seat at this bar, getting drunk by yourself.” I tell him.

“I know Brian in a way Justin never will. I know he loves me and thinks he’s doing the right thing because Justin fucked him over again.” He tells me.

“What are you talking about now?” I ask.

“Justin trapped Brian again, when I was willing to be there for Brian and the children. Now he’s stuck having a kid because of Justin.” He rants, swallowing his drink in one go.

“Brian wants anything that links him to Justin, because he loves Justin, the way I love Ted. You sitting here trying to make it false in your head, isn’t going to change it. He didn’t want you Michael, and all the tricking wasn’t about him not wanting Justin. I tried to be nice about the bullshit you spew, but you started spewing it about my life with Ted, that’s where I get off the ‘Mikey Train to misery’. If you want to pretend there was anything you could have done to get Brian, go ahead and do it. But do not ever think you have the right to act like you were more to me than a guy who I let hang out when no one wanted to hang out with you. You don’t know the first thing about me or Brian if you think being the ultimate top was really all that should be important. All we were doing was waiting for the men who would complete our lives to appear. I’m going to say this because maybe hearing it from me will make a difference in your mind. Guys don’t spend years being your friend when you give them the green light that they could have you. If Brian had really wanted you, he would have done something about it before he met Justin. It’s time for you to see what your life got you, which isn’t Brian being in trouble for helping the people who want to own Brian, for not giving them what they want, the way you can’t get what you want. He’s not going to love you. I’m not with Ted for any reason other than he’s everything I could want in life.” I tell him.

“You aren’t the guy Ted wants, that would be the twink celebrating his engagement near the pool tables. You really think Ted isn’t settling for you when the man he loved for years found someone else.” He tells me.

“I know at one time Blake was important to Ted, but it’s not the same as the relationship I have with Ted. You keep losing, but you just have to try don’t you?” I ask.

“I need Brian to be what he promised me.” He tells me.

“He would have been your friend, but you made it impossible for him when you hurt the only person he loved. Of course you’ll never see it, because in little Mikey’s head it would mean that you might have been wrong about the trick who wouldn’t leave, and that it was really the best friend who didn’t get it. Have a shitty life, because that’s all you’ll have while the rest of us live the way we want to.” I tell him, leaving him to drown his life.

I started to go to Ted, then turned to thank the man who loved him enough to give him to me. Blake looked up smiling, and got up to hug me. I wished him a good life and got the same back, with a warning that I better give Ted the best life he could ever want. It was not hard to understand why Ted could love Blake, who only wanted everything for Ted. I walked to Ted, but looked over at Michael, who I could tell was confused at what he saw. He would be, because he thought the people in his life couldn’t be happy if he wasn’t.

BRIAN

Emmett and Justin were in the kitchen sampling cake for the wedding. Ted and Brandon had to go to Pittsburgh so Ted could work with the accountants on how he wanted the paperwork done before it reached him. I sat with Hannah, who didn’t get the whole cake thing. It was something Justin told me we needed to figure out before her next birthday.

“It’s too sweet.” Hannah said licking the piece Emmett handed her.

“It’s good.” Gus tells her, grabbing another piece.

“You’ll eat anything.” Hannah tells him pushing her piece to him.

“You make it too much work to eat.” Gus teases her.

“Daddy used to get it, but now he’s as bad as you.” She tells him, picking up her soccer ball to go outside.

“She’s picky.” Gus tells us. “Hey, wait for me, I want to play.” Gus tells Hannah, grabbing cake and running after her.

“I love your kids, but they really make me glad Charles and I aren’t having any.” Emmett tells us.

“You guys really don’t plan to? You seem to love having the kids around.” Justin comments.

“Maybe I’ll change my mind, but there are also other kids who we could help without having babies. We were talking about fostering kids someday. We’re just past the age where having kids of our own would be easy. I couldn’t do it at forty, no offence Brian.” He tells me.

“I’m not forty yet.” I grumble.

“Are you guys going to find out if it’s a boy or girl?” Emmett asks, changing the subject when I glare at him.

I look over at Justin who pretends to be reading what’s in the cake. The twat kept a secret from Emmett? We went to find out when the shit with Craig came up, because Justin at least wanted to tell Craig if it was a boy or girl, in case he couldn’t make it to the birth. I also wanted to talk to Justin, because Craig wasn’t doing well and I know Justin wanted to be with his father as much as he could until Craig was gone. I couldn’t hate the man anymore, because he worked to be the father Justin loved as a child. He made sure Gus and Hannah knew he loved them, and I couldn’t stay angry when my children loved the man.

Summer was coming and we could stay in Pittsburgh for it. I planned to work, but not as much as I usually did, because I was more tired than I’ve ever been. I had Jen look into a house we could rent, in case Justin wanted to be there with Craig. Craig and I knew it was time to tell Justin that traveling was too much for him. I didn’t look forward to that conversation, because it was going to hurt both Justin and Molly. I promised Craig I’d let him tell Justin, and we agreed that after Ted’s wedding was the best time. Craig didn’t want a cloud over Justin on a happy occasion for everyone. I respected him for wanting to keep Justin happy as long as possible before he was told devastating news. The idea about staying in Pittsburgh was my way of giving Justin time enjoy having his father before he lost him again. Only this time it would be worse, because Justin had the father he loved back, or maybe it would have been worse either way, because as much as I hated Jack, it still hurt when he left my life.

“Wait, you know?” Emmett asks a fidgeting Justin.

“I want to wait to tell my Dad... if we have to.” Justin tells him.

“He’ll make it to see the baby, where do you think you got your determination from?” I ask Justin, not promising, because as much as I want to, it’s not something I can control.

“I love you.” Justin tells me, sticking a triple chocolate cake in front of me.

BRIAN

I hated that we were all hiding how bad it was from Justin, Molly, and the kids, but I promised Craig we’d wait until after the wedding today. Emmett helped by asking Justin to come over early because they were running behind and needed extra hands. I got Gus and Hannah to go with them. Justin planned to wait on Jen, Tucker, and Craig to get here, but Jen called saying she’d overslept and they would be an hour later. Justin left only after I told him I'd get them there on time.

Jen pulled up and motioned me to the car to help Craig out. I held him up and Tucker and I got him into the house and to the bathroom before he started throwing up. I went to get ginger ale and crackers, since they worked to keep me from puking most of the time. He managed the ginger ale but turned down anything solid. Tucker left us alone while I cleaned Craig up.

“Bet you never saw this happening.” I joke.

“Neither did you.” He tells me.

“How bad?” I ask.

“Today is a six. I'm hoping to keep it there.” He tells me.

He was gaunt, but it wasn’t something unexpected, but I've always been good at making people see what I want and Craig is going to help me do this for our family.

“We have three hours before we have to be there. Let's get something you can eat, and then you sleep until we have to leave.” I tell him.

“All I do is sleep and I'm still tired.” He complains.

“It's part of it, and it's probably the only part you enjoy as time goes on.” I tell him.

“How did you do this alone?” He asks, as we go get the broth I got Emmett to make.

“There were days when I asked myself the same question. I made it so there was no one to help. I left Justin, who was the only person who wouldn’t have acted like I needed to take care of him, while I was puking my guts out. It's why I won’t let you make my mistake.” I tell him.

“Justin doesn’t need to take care of me when I didn’t do anything when he needed me.” He tells me.

“Our son doesn’t care what we did, he's a better person.” Jen tells him.

“Only because he had you.” He tells her.

“He had you until you couldn’t understand him. All he cares about is now.” She tells him.

“Why not agree that at one time you both did something right, because Justin turned out to be a great person?” Tucker tells them.

“Molly and Justin were the best part of us.” Jen tells him, smiling.

Craig managed enough of the broth to bring color to his face, and I led him to my study to lay down. I was leaving when he stopped me.

“I know my opinion isn’t really something you care about, but your family screwed up when they treated you the way they did. You’re a son any father should have been proud to have. I just wanted you to hear that, even though you should know it.” He tells me.

“Justin never lets a day go by without making sure I know it.” I tell him.

“Don’t ever let him think he wasn’t important, it’s where I made all my mistakes.” He tells me.

“You did something I never saw you being capable of, showing Justin nothing else mattered because he's your son. So we can forgive you being blinded by something that wasn’t the only thing to see about him.” I tell him.

“I need you to do something for me, because I know Justin doesn’t want to do it.” He tells me.

“What?” I ask.

“I’m leaving my stores to you, I’d like you to keep them going and maybe one day one of the kids will want run them.” He tells me.

“What about Molly?” I ask.

“She’s more interested in law than business, Justin could do it, but it’s not what he wants. He doesn’t need me to push what I wanted onto him. I know you and you can’t resist the challenge to show me what I did wrong.” He tells me, before he nods off.

I walked out, not really sure why he wanted me to do it. It’s an area I never ventured into, but one day maybe Gus, Hannah, or even this one could take over, and keep Craig alive in some way.

I sat next to Jen, putting my arm around her as she tried to deal with this for all of them. “He has to tell them.” She tells me, tired.

“I agreed with him that after the wedding was better. Ted and Brandon’s wedding is most likely the last thing that Justin will be smiling about for a while.” I tell her.

TED

I stayed with Charles and Emmett, while Brandon stayed at the apartment with Mel. I wanted the first day we live in our house to be the day we got married. Emmett had been worried about something, but told me it was nothing I needed to know. It only took seeing Craig walk in with Brian to know exactly what was going on. Justin went to them and I doubt what Craig didn’t tell Justin yet was any longer a secret from him. They sat in the chairs while Brian came to me.

“Don’t think about anything but the man you're marrying today.” Brian tells me.

“Just let us know if you need us to help.” I tell him, letting it go for now.

“We will, but only later.” Brian tells me, not trying to act tough.

Emmett came rushing by, telling me to get my ass in the house. Brandon and I were going to walk to the altar together, with his mother between us. My mother asked if she could just sit and watch. I could tell it wasn’t easy for her to see me marry a man, but she didn’t say it and came anyway. I got in the house and couldn’t look away from Brandon. I was going to marry this man and raise children with him.

The music started and we walked to the altar with Wendy stepping back and giving us to each other. Emmett played the part he’s always had, as my best man, and Jason did it for Brandon. Hannah and Gus led us, handing each person a small bouquet of flowers they would pull apart to throw on us after we were married it was something Brandon said he wanted. We stood in front of the person marrying us, not seeing anyone but each other.

“Ted, thank you for agreeing to be my first date, and my last one. You probably don’t remember much about the first time we met, and like an idiot I walked away, thinking you wouldn’t be interested in me. I want to confess that when we met for my interview that I played it off like I didn’t remember you but I did, and my mother could tell you all about that, but won’t because she loves me.” He laughs. “You make me happy in ways that I never thought possible and I will cherish each day we spend together loving each other. So today I promise that no matter what life brings, you’re the person who will be beside me as we venture forth. I love you.” Brandon tells me.

“Brandon, I spent my life staying in the background and watching life swirl around me.The day you asked me to give you the chance to prove you could be more than the guy everyone wanted you showed me that they didn’t matter to you, but that I did. I’ve spent each day we’ve been together considering us blessed to have each other. So today I promise that you will never doubt that I’m the man who will love you for the rest of your life and beyond.” I tell him.

The rest seemed a blur, because we couldn’t look away from each other and it took Emmett hip checking me for us to realize we were married and ended up making Charles and Emmett look like amateurs at kissing, at least I think so.

I did what Brian asked and celebrated life the way it should be celebrated, even with a death looming. Craig stood up when they asked if anyone wanted to say anything and Brian stood next to him, supporting him and showing us all that sometimes life changes for everyone.

“Be there for each other, know better than to go to bed with unresolved issues. Love the way you love now, only love more with each day. Be proud of the family you have and never let anything stand in the way of that happiness.” Craig toasted us.

“Brandon you got one of the best men I know. Ted, thank you for being there when Justin needed a friend, treat Brandon like the prince he is for marrying you.” Brian tells us.

“Ted, I love you. You managed to find the person who gives you what Charles gave me. Brandon you became important in my life because you love Ted, but now you're part of all of us. Be happy.” Emmett tells us.

“Ted, you and I had never talked and after we did I couldn’t figure out why we’d never done it before. You are truly a wise man and deserve everything life has to offer you. Brandon, love him the way he loves you. You both found the love everyone wants.” Justin tells us.

“Ted, thank you for loving my son and making it so calls about how you didn’t seem interested turned into calls about the life Brandon was sharing with you. Son, you picked well, remember that.” Wendy tells us.

“Be happy, and Brandon, know that I couldn’t be happier that I have another son to love.” Deb tells us.

“Both of you make me proud that you're the fathers Katie will have all her life. She’ll see that love is something to look forward to, because it pours out when you two are together. Be the example she wants to one day copy.” Mel tells us.

“I love you son and Brandon, make him happy, the way he is with you.” My mom said, smiling.

Brandon and I walked around, talking to everyone. It was the best day of my life, surrounded by the people who loved us and made sure to show us by being here for us. I sat watching Justin, Brandon, and Gus dancing in the area we set up for it. Brian and Emmett came and sat with me.

“Did you ever think we’d all be happily married?” Emmett asks.

“Yes, but only because you two can’t do anything until I show you how.” Brian tells us.

“Of course, it only took you what, eight years to figure out what Justin knew the whole time.” I snark at him.

“Which means Justin and I have the longest relationship, and you guys have catching up to do.” Brian tells us, leaving to dance with Justin.

“Is he sort of waddling now?” Emmett asks, tilting his head to watch Brian walk away.

“I heard that, asshole.” Brian yells at him.

“I know.” Emmett laughs.

“Yeah he kinda is, but damn it if he doesn’t manage to still look better than most guys.” I grumble.

“Only because, like us, he’s found out where he belongs.” Emmett tells me, as we watch Justin dance with Brian, with Hannah and Gus in the middle of them. One day that would be Brandon and me.

BRIAN

We sat in the living room with Craig while Jen watched the kids for us. We could all see Justin wasn’t fooled by not being told that Craig wasn’t getting better.

“How long?” Justin asks.

“The doctor told me a few years ago that it could be five years if it didn’t spread. It did, and is now in my bones.” He tells Justin.

“What do they think now?” I ask.

“I could still live a few more years or a few months, it really depends on the cancer. I’ve stopped treatment, because I don’t want to spend the rest of my time being sick, when I wasn’t before the treatment.” He tells us.

“Why didn’t you tell me, or even Molly, we could have…” Justin asked.

“You could have what? Let go of the way I treated you and took care of me. Justin, I wanted to prove I deserve a place in your life, not get it because of this. I didn’t want you to feel like what I did to you got a free pass. The reason I needed to tell you is because it’s getting harder to travel back and forth.” He tells Justin.

“We can come to Pittsburgh instead.” Justin tells him.

“We can and will, the kids are going to be out of school and I can work from Pittsburgh until… I already talked to Jen about finding a house for us to rent.” I tell them.

“Thank you.” Justin tells me, kissing me.

CRIAG

With Justin planning to come here, I wanted the things that kept him away, to stay away from him. I spoke to Emmett, who let me know the biggest problem was in jail awaiting trial, but there was still Michael Novotny. When I asked where to find him the answer was Woody’s or Babylon, because Michael’s life never moved on from the places he always went. I knew Michael’s mother at one time took Justin in, but as hard as it was I asked Jen about the life Justin lived without me.

“He made friends with the people Brian knew and was a part of the group until Brian left. He kept his grades up, ignored the people who no longer talked to him because Brian was gone, and went to school. He went to college on a full scholarship, with Emmett deciding Justin didn’t need to work until he finished school. I didn’t know a lot of what was going on until Emmett called me, saying Justin needed me. I found out about Hannah after she was born a month early. You weren’t the only one he didn’t tell things to about his life.” She tells me.

“What happened to change his relationship with the friends he knew through Brian?” I ask.

“Lindsay and Michael didn’t like the idea of Brian once again letting Justin into his life. Michael loves Brian and wanted a life with him, Justin got in the way. Lindsay’s a bit more complicated, she believed the only reason Brian wanted Justin was because Justin was as close to Lindsay as Brian could find in a man. Lindsay wants to believe that if she was with Brian, her life would have been different. We took care of Lindsay, but Justin coming here with Brian will only have the headache that is Michael, trying to get Brian to leave Justin.” She tells me.

“Do you think it would do any good for me to talk to Michael?” I ask.

“No. It’s really just a waste of time, Michael doesn’t hear anything that doesn’t fit into Michael’s world. He isn’t even listening to his mother when normally he would” She tells me.

I went to the bar anyway because if I could somehow get him to listen, it was one less thing for Justin to deal with. I found him the way Ted told them he found Michael on his last visit. Sitting at the bar, drinking his worries away. I sat next to him and ordered a beer. Then tilted my head to get Michael another drink. The bartender poured him a shot of Beam and Michael downed it, sputtering after.

“Want another?” I ask.

“I’m not interested.” He tells me.

“I’m not either. I just wanted to meet the man who caused my son to leave Pittsburgh.” I tell him.

“What?” He asks.

“I didn’t introduce myself did I? Craig Taylor. Justin’s father and Brian’s father-in-law.” I tell him.

“I'm the answer to your prayers.” He tells me, perking up.

“Which prayer would that be?” I ask.

“That Brian would leave your son for good.” He tells me, smiling like a hyena.

“Why are you the answer?” I ask.

“Brian loves me. He's only with Justin because he feels responsible for the crap Justin brings on himself. I could be persuaded to help you.” He tells me.

“Well, I did come here to ask you to help me.” I tell him.

“Why did I listen to Lindsay when you would have wanted the same thing I want?” He said to the air. “We need to figure out a way to get Brian here and for me to see him alone, without Justin.” He tells me.

“What would that accomplish?” I ask.

“When your son’s around he keeps Brian from anyone who could get Brian to see he doesn’t want the life Justin wants. I need Brian to know we can raise the kids together and he no longer has to live the life he never wanted.” Michael tells me.

“From what I’ve seen of Brian, he wouldn’t do something unless it was something he wanted .” I tell him.

“You don’t know Brian. Before Justin, the only thing he cared about was me. He did anything to keep me happy.” He announces to the whole bar.

“If that’s true, why isn’t he still here, with you?” The bartender asks.

“Because Justin can’t fucking take the hint we all gave him and disappear.” Michael tells him.

“How about I give you a hint. The only one they all wanted to disappear was you. I figure you're only a few bottles away from making them all happy.” The bartender tells him.

“Ignore him, he thinks he knows everything.” Michael turns to me.

“Sounds like he sees the future you're headed for.” I tell him.

“Not if we help Brian see the truth.” He tells me.

“The truth is, Brian is where he wants to be, which is with Justin. I know everyone told me trying to get you to understand anything would be a waste of my time, but I figured I got one miracle, why not try for two. You can have your store, but only if you leave my son and Brian alone.” I tell him.

“Joan owns it.” He tells me.

“She sold it and I bought it. I didn’t see it as the waste of money she did, because it was something you and I could bargain with. You let Justin have peace and I’ll give you a way to pay for these drinks you're downing, while waiting for a life you never did anything to deserve.” I tell him.

“I want it in my name.” The greedy little shit tells me.

“It will be, along with the agreement you’ll sign. If you bother Justin or Brian, then the shop goes to Justin.” I tell him.

“Why would you give it to Justin?” He asks.

“It makes sense, you’d do anything to keep Justin from having all your dreams.” I tell him, leaving.

BRIAN

Jen found a place just outside Pittsburgh for us to rent for the summer. She made sure it was a place Michael couldn’t visit, because he'd violate his probation that kept him in Pittsburgh. I hired a nurse and driver for Craig, so as long as he was able to travel there was no reason we needed to be in any part of Pittsburgh. I wasn’t thrilled when Jen told me what Craig did. Michael getting things handed to him, caused the Michael of today.

“Michael will just run the shop into the ground anyway.” Craig tells me.

“Then why waste money on it?” Justin asked.

“I gave him a reason to stay away from Brian.” He laughs.

“Nothing has stopped him before, you think this will?” Justin asks.

“I thought about everything I've heard about Michael before doing any of this, and the one thing he hates more than his one sided love of Brian, is you. It made sense to use that to get what no one has been able to get Michael to do. Leave you and Brian alone.” He tells us.

“I still don't see how handing him a business accomplishes anything.” I tell him.

“If he bothers you, the shop instantly belongs to Justin. Once again, Justin gets what Michael believes is his. I made sure he understood there wasn’t any clause that excuses him if he in any way contacts Brian.” He tells us.

“Justin is going to end up owning the thing.” I tell him.

“Then so be it, Justin could turn it into a success if he felt like it. Or he can sell it.” Craig said proudly.

The kids came in to show grandpa the pool. Craig took off with a spring in his step, happy they wanted him around.

“Is it horrible that I want Michael to screw up, just to prove I could do it?” Justin asks.

“Why would you want to? If Michael had seen it as a way to live surrounded by his heros, and treated it as a business, then he would have been successful. Instead, it’s another toy, like all his other toys.” I tell him.

“I can’t understand why anyone would buy a business and not do what it takes to keep it.” He tells me.

“Justin, think about who you're talking about. Michael got a promotion, then turned around and quit the Big Q to run off with David. He didn’t see the point in staying when David was willing to support him. When he came back he opened the shop when he didn’t like having to start over at Big Q. Deb wasn’t thrilled because Michael was borrowing from her to keep the shop going. She let him come home to save money, but he was spending every cent he made and still asking her for money. It took her seeing what Ted and I did for her to see her son for who he was, a child in a grown man’s body. Michael will never be successful at anything because he gives up on anything that requires his attention away from me. You didn’t sit around waiting for me, but went on and worked for everything you wanted. You’d manage to succeed because you always have when you wanted something.” I tell him.

“I married you, that was one of the biggest success of my life.” He tells me.

“Having you and the life we have is mine.” I tell him, thinking the kids were busy with Grandpa.

DEB

I agreed with Jen, nothing would stop my son. He would never believe Brian didn’t love him. I wanted Justin to have the time that was left to spend with Craig. Not to have Michael showing up to cause them more pain when Justin was going to be dealing with losing Craig, when they just found a way back to each other. Talking to Carl, I knew he didn’t understand why Michael didn’t see what everyone else did.

“It’s partly my fault for trying to give Michael everything. I tried to make up for him not having a father, including lying to him about the father he believes was his.” I tell him, as we head to Michael’s store.

“Even with you smothering him there should have been a point where Michael took control of his life. It’s called growing up, from what I’ve seen he used you to keep Brian around.” He tells me.

“I used to blame Brian for everything Michael did that I didn’t like.” I tell him.

“Do you still think Brian is to blame for the things your son does all in the name of love?” He asks.

“Until Brian came back, I always thought Brian loved Michael the way Michael believes. Brian always took care of Michael and protected him, to me it was as if Brian didn’t think he was good enough for Michael.” I tell him.

“What changed how you saw it?” He asks.

“Brian took care of Justin and protected him, just like he did for Michael. It’s just I could also see that Brian respected Justin, in a way that I never saw when he looked at Michael.” I tell him, as he drops me off in front of Michael’s store.

“Red, even if Michael doesn’t listen to you, at least you now see the truth.” He tells me, kissing me before I went into deal with Michael.

He barely looked up at me when I walked in, there wasn’t anyone shopping in his store. The sign still saying they were closed was probably the problem. I turned it, because my days of supporting a grown man were over.

“I’m on lunch.” He complained, when I turned back to him.

“You’ve been out to lunch too long already son. If you're going to support yourself that means waiting on customers, not looking up another toy you can’t afford.” I tell him, when I see he’s on ebay again.

“Are you here to warn me off too?” He asks, rolling his eyes at me. For a second I wanted to smack his head for it, but I didn’t because it didn’t do anything.

“I came because I want to ask you leave Justin and Brian alone to deal with what’s coming. They need to be able to spend time with Craig before…” I teared up, not being able to say it, for all the shit he put Justin through it didn’t make what was going to happen any less upsetting.

“Like having his Daddy to mooch off of isn’t just one more person giving Justin everything he wants.” Michael sneers, and I couldn’t stop myself when I knocked him off his stool. “Fuck, what the hell was that for?” Michael asked, as he rubbed his head.

“That’s for making a joke about a man dying, for not having one ounce of compassion for how hard this is going to be for Justin.” I tell him.

“Like Justin gives a shit that Craig is dying, he probably wished for it to happen for years.” Michael tells me, staying far enough away that I couldn’t reach him.

“You really never bothered to know Justin, because if you did, you would know he doesn’t think the way you do. If he could find a way to save someone, Justin would try, because he isn’t like you, a selfish overgrown child, who wishes that kind of bullshit on anyone who gets in your way. I want you to remember what it felt like when we lost Vic, and give Justin and Brian the fucking space they need to heal from losing part of their family.” I tell him.

“You can’t compare the loss of Uncle Vic to that asshole.” He tells me.

“I can when he saw his beliefs only hurt him and left him alone. Something you still can’t see, but look around, is there anyone left who cares about you?” I ask.

“Craig already gave you what you want. I go near St Justin or his family I lose everything to him again. I don’t need you coming here like you know everything. Oh look, customers.” He sneers at me and them. I watch as they walk right back out.

“I hope you have a job waiting when you screw this up too. The bank of Mom is closed.” I tell him before leaving.

JUSTIN

I waited until my Dad was on his way home to fall apart. I’d been doing well at not letting the kids see the toll this was taking on me. I knew it was why Brian didn’t push me to tell them anything, because we didn’t want to ruin the time the kids had with my dad. Brian opened the bedroom door, and I wiped the tears out of my eyes. He didn’t need me upsetting him, either.

“Justin, you can’t keep bottling up your emotions.” He tells me.

“Nothing’s wrong.” I tell him.

“It doesn’t make you weak because you cry for him.” Brian tells me.

“You'd know all about that wouldn’t you, how many tears have you cried for anything? Did you even shed one tear for the bastard who raised you?” I hated what I was saying, but I couldn't control it.

“Yes I did, not that you saw. He was my father, good or bad, so I felt the pain you do now. Only you got the father you loved back, and what you’re feeling is a million times worse. Lean on me for once. Please.” He begged.

“Oh God, I'm sorry.” I tell him, holding him, as I cry for my father.

“We'll get through this and anything else life throws at us.” He tells me, as our child moves as if to say, ‘we're here for you Daddy’.

JUSTIN

I developed this routine as the summer went on. I didn’t let my dad, sister, or kids see how much it was killing me each day, to know that my dad would soon be leaving us. Brian was due soon and even though I felt like shit for leaning on him, at night I let Brian help me deal with the emotions that I hid. Hannah and Gus weren’t fooled any more than I was, and one day Gus came and sat with me, after my dad left for the day.

“He’s not getting better, is he?” Gus asks.

“No. But he wants to be here to meet your brother.” I tell him.

“I like him, he tells Hannah and I about you when you were our age. He’s really proud of you.” He tells me.

“I’m proud of him for being the father he used to be.” I tell Gus.

“Do you think my mom will ever figure out how to do that?” He ask.

“For your sake, I hope so.” I tell him.

“Mama said that Mom loved me the only way she knew how, but that there was a part of Mom that was missing. The part it took to love anyone the right way.” He tells me.

“When I first met her, she was tired and looked it, from giving birth to you, but it was as if she was the happiest I’d ever seen her. She was always holding you and we all saw that she loved you.” I tell him, because it was what I saw, when I first met her.

“She didn’t make me feel like she didn’t love me.” He tells me.

“I’m glad that you never thought she didn’t.” I tell him.

“The way Grandpa made you think he didn’t?” Gus asks.

“He did, it was just hard for him to understand why I didn’t want the things in life that he did.” I tell him.

“Grandpa said being your and Aunt Molly’s dad was the greatest thing he ever accomplished.” He tell me.

“Just like you’re the greatest thing your dad and mom ever did.” I tell him.

“I miss my mom, but I want her to want me the way all of you do.” He tells me.

“Even if she doesn’t, Sonny boy, you’ll always have us and Mama.” Brian tells Gus, pulling me to him when I couldn’t talk anymore.

Hannah came outside and sat on my lap, hugging me. It was the moment I knew I was denying my children the right to grieve by pretending everything was okay. Gus sat between Brian and I, and we sat with Gus and Hannah, letting them talk about the grandfather my father was to them.

BRIAN

I went to the office to conference in with Brandon on the new client he brought in. Brandon didn’t stop going after new accounts, and today I wanted the Pittsburgh branch to see that we weren’t going have a branch there unless they took a page from Brandon’s book. I was going to get something to drink when I overheard two people complaining about Brandon.

“He’s only getting attention because he married the accountant. Too bad we didn’t think of it first.” One of them complained.

“I heard ‘get the boss in bed and you’ll be set’. Apparently that’s how the graphic designer, who we all have to approve our idea’s through, got the job.” The other one complained.

“I was told the boss wouldn’t be opposed to side action.” He smirks.

“Hello, and strange that we meet again.” I tell them, walking into the breakroom.

“Fuck.” Bob says dejected.

“Who hired you?” I ask.

“The person who knew we were going to show the artist how it was done.” Smart ass number two tells me.

“Cynthia!” I yell, when I’m five seconds from firing their asses.

Cynthia hurries to answer my yell. “Is there a problem?” She asks, looking at the idiot twosome.

“Explain.” I tell her waving at the moron twins.

“Bob and Brad were actually waiting to meet with us. Tracy hired them without clearing it through me or Ted, which is why we are meeting with Tracy after your meeting.” Cynthia tells me.

“You’re firing us?” Bob asks Cynthia, going pale.

“It depends on what Brian decides. I would suggest you show up at the meeting ready to show Brian that Tracy didn’t make a mistake hiring you. I’m assuming you took me seriously when I met with everyone last week and told all of you that I wanted to see results. Namely that your work was going to bring in the clients. The way Brandon did without Kinnetik’s name attached to it. Are the accounts coming to see you in the breakroom?” Cynthia asks, glaring at them.

Cynthia and I waited for the moron twins to figure out they needed to get to work. I tilted my head towards the offices for the execs before the two clued in to go.

“Unless they come up with something that ranks up there with Eyeconics, they are through. They are going to see that Justin didn’t just draw on a page.” Cynthia fumes.

“Why did Tracy hire them?” I ask, thinking Tracy isn’t going to be any better off.

“She thought she was helping, but she also knew that there was an approval process and didn’t follow it. She’s used to companies trusting her to know what they need. It’s why most companies hire headhunters.” Cynthia tells me.

“Did she hire anyone else I plan to fire?” I ask her.

“I made sure it didn’t happen again, they were hired when I was running back and forth to Chicago, but didn’t start until two weeks ago, I thought I'd give you the pleasure of firing them, you always wanted to.” She tells me.

“Have they shown you anything that we expect from the visuals?” I ask.

“We’ll see today, or they can hope Vanguard is still hiring anything that has a pulse.” She laughs.

“Gardner only cared for the ass kissers, not the money makers. In your case he was hoping for his next ex wife, which means he missed what you were capable of, but would have seen a goldmine in those two.” I tell her.

“We need to talk to Tracy before the meeting, maybe she’ll explain the mystery of hiring the moron twins.” I tell Cynthia, trying to get her coffee.

“It’s tea for you.” She laughs, taking her coffee away from me.

Tracy came in and sat across from us, looking as if she was ready to argue. “We need to talk about the way the employees have the impression that the way to get ahead in this company is by marrying the boss or a favored friend.” Tracy starts out, as if she owned the company.

“Where would My EMPLOYEES get that idea?” I ask.

“From the fact that two of the employees in the Hawthorne-Kinney corporation seem to have been promoted by marrying well.” She tells me.

“You feel confident enough in your job to make that accusation?” I ask.

“I'm confident in the reason firms hire me, and normally trust me to do my job. I bring talent to the table. I was under the impression I was hired for a reason.” She tells me.

“You were hired to screen each application before WE wasted time on interviews. Which I personally explained to you, and it was also in your written job description.” Cynthia tells her.

“I felt I was wasting the applicant's time, when I could see the potential they had.” She tells me.

“What did you base your decision on, just so I'm clear at why you didn't follow the guidelines on what we expected of you?” I ask, feeling my anger rise.

“They were long term dedicated execs to the companies they had worked for, and hadn't had problems with previous employers.” She tells us.

“Were they fast tracking in the firm's they came from?” I ask.

Tracy started to lose her confidence at that question. “No. But Bob and Brad were still with Vanguard after Ryder sold it. He wasn't thrilled to lose them.” She tells me.

“Then we'll see if your decision costs you your job. I expect more than someone who does as little as required to keep their job, which in the past is how they stayed at Ryder and Vanguard. You looked at longevity, I look at what they did to get ahead, which Cynthia knows, and you choose to ignore her experience. If somehow they managed what Brandon did to get where he is, which wasn't marrying the CFO, then you'll still have a job and I'll personally congratulate the two for showing us they were more than office furniture at Ryder.” I tell her.

“I have an entire resume of companies that felt I knew what I was doing.” She tells me.

“If Bob and Brad prove their worth, you'll have me recommending your services.” I tell her.

She leaves, looking less confident than when she walked in.

“Let's get this meeting started.” I tell Cynthia not getting up.

“Are you okay?” She asks.

“I have other things I need to be doing. I'm going to start this meeting and Brandon can take over. If Bob and Brad don't show you what we both know they need to, fire them and hand Tracy her walking papers.” I tell her.

“You don’t want to?” She asks.

“I hired you and know you can do your job.” I tell her.

Everyone filed into the conference room, Tracy came in next to Bob and Brad. I texted Justin before standing up slowly to introduce Brandon and the Chicago team.

“Charles and I haven't had the chance to come here and speak to each of you about the future we see, and in that we both apologize for the possible miscommunications that I've recently been made aware of. Charles and I don't view the corporation we are running as anything but a business, and we expect return on our investment. We want the family atmosphere that Hawthorne has, to continue. It doesn't mean we promote anyone because of nepotism, but because they showed that any company would kill to have the team we're building. Normally I wouldn’t explain my decisions, but there are some misconceptions, that I feel you as my employees need to have corrected. Brandon Green-Schmidt, came to me hungry to become a leader in the field of advertising. I gave him a task; get Eyeconics, without a firm to back him. He took two weeks to get a three year contract, which he got increased to five after telling Eyeconics who he represented. My reputation got five, but Brandon’s got the three without a firm behind him. It's why I wanted Brandon, he delivers on his promises. As for the graphic designer that you've been asked to approve your approach, Justin Taylor-Kinney, other than being my husband, also understands giving the consumer what they want. He can see problems before we present to the client, from years of experience working in graphic design at Hawthorne, before it became Hawthorne-Kinney. Charles used Justin to help clean up the visual before it got near a client. He's not ‘approving your ideas’, that's why Cynthia runs this office, but making sure the visual works for the idea you sold to the client. I came today to let Brandon answer any questions you have on approaching potential clients, because in doing so you can also teach him the way your approach works too, or learn from errors all of us make. No one in this company will continue being on the bench while watching star performers do your jobs.” I tell them, eyeing each one, because Bob and Brad aren’t the only ones who need to get off the bench. “After your conference with Brandon and Charles, I expect Cynthia to hear that there is a reason we hired each of you. She was hired because like me, she understands the business of Advertising, and saw the mistakes that were made in other firms. As my PA she made sure we won the accounts that I was going for by keeping me informed of everything she knew about the company I was pitching too. As your BOSS, Cynthia can give you help when the client balks at signing with us. I expect you to respect her position as one she earned from years in this business and to understand that her opinion will determine Charles and my views on your future with Hawthorne-Kinney.” I tell them, as Justin comes in the door.

“We need to go.” Justin tells me, probably ready to kick my ass for not leaving when I knew.

“Brandon, take over and let the everyone know where I’m going.” I tell them, leaning on Justin as the contractions hit harder.

“Really Brian?” Cynthia laughs. “I’ll be there as soon as we all finish here.” She tells me, opening the door for us.

Justin got me in the car, telling me the doctor already had the surgery ready to go. I just wanted the drugs to stop the fucking ax chopping at my stomach. Justin called his mother to tell her why he left her with the kids. Jen told him she’d be there with them soon. I called Craig’s nurse to let her know to bring Craig and the pain stopped bothering me when she told me they were already at the hospital because Craig was being admitted.

“What?” Justin asked as we drove.

“Craig is at the hospital.” I tell him.

“Then he won’t miss it.” Justin tells me, biting his lip.

“He won’t, it’s why he’s fighting with everything he has.” I tell Justin.

We drove in silence until we got to the hospital and I didn’t argue when they brought the wheelchair. Jen came with the kids and let us know that Deb was on her way. When Deb got there I was being prepped, and she took Hannah and Gus to get something to eat while Jen went to check on Craig. I was taken, with Justin by my side, to bring our son into the world. The painkillers were better than anything Anita ever gave me, and I possibly thanked the doctor and the creator of this marvelous drug. Justin started laughing when I told the doctor they don’t pay him enough, because he made birth seem easier than dealing with the moron twins.

“Who hired Bob and Brad?” Justin asks, still smiling his famous smile.

“See, even you know they were idiots.” I tell him, not paying any attention to the hospital staff around us.

“It was hard not to with the way you complained about them.” He tells me.

“You were better when you were a toddler than those two morons.” I tell everyone, as we hear a cry from the other side of the sheet.

“This young man would like to meet you.” The nurse tells us, cleaning off our son.

Justin took him from the nurse and brought him for me to see. “He’s heavier than Hannah was.” Justin tells me, as he adjusts our son in his arms.

“He’s on time, for everything.” I tell Justin.

Justin followed the nurse to get his bracelet and waited to find out what room I was going to before going to tell the family they had another grandson. I asked him to let Craig come in first, since he fought so hard to see this moment. Craig was waiting in the room for me, sitting in the chair next to the bed. The nurse was able to get the baby to us right away when I explained the reason.

“Everyone could have come in with me.” Craig tells me.

“Justin and I wanted to give you a few minutes with Craig Tucker Taylor-Kinney.” I tell him.

BRIAN

I held on to Craig’s hand as we stood next to Justin and Molly. Hannah and Gus stood on either side of Molly, trying to help Molly as well as Justin. I smiled down at two year old Craig, who’d given his grandfather a reason to keep fighting. Craig wanted to see his namesake do all the firsts. He was there for the first words, first steps, and the birthdays of each of his grandchildren. His death was as peaceful as his last two years, knowing his son was there for him. We respected Craig’s need to live as normally as possible, and made it possible for Craig to stay at home when the time was closer to him leaving us. He became a man I could respect, because he was able to let go of the beliefs that caused so much pain to a community that wanted nothing more than to still be seen like anyone else, as people who loved how we wanted to. He proved to me that change wasn’t impossible, but completely possible. He became a father and grandfather this family will miss. But will keep his memory alive in our hearts, for the man he proved he could be.

Craig Jr didn’t understand why his Pop Pop was sleeping and we explained the best way we could. Hannah came over and like Justin, showed me that she was wise beyond her years.

“The kids in Heaven asked Pop Pop to come and watch over us from up there.” She tells him pointing.

Gus dried his tears to help, and sat on the ground letting his brother sit in his lap. “Pop Pop told me that when I miss him to talk to him, he’ll always listen because he loves us.” Gus tells him.

I couldn’t be prouder of Hannah and Gus, because even through their own grieving their baby brother was more important to them. We waited until they lowered Craig into the ground and I told Justin to take Molly and the kids with him. I needed to tell the man who became everything to Justin and our kids thank you for giving me Justin.

“You know, I never thought I’d do anything but toast your demise. I spent my life believing that either they hate you to your face or behind your back. I respected that you hated me to my face, and hated you for the pain Justin felt. I can’t hate you anymore. You gave Justin something my family never gave me, acceptance, and a father to be proud of. You also gave me the man who believed I could love, and made it clear when I found him again there wouldn’t be any excuses he would listen to anymore. I always thought he got it from Jen, but now I know you played a hand in the man he is and will always be. I plan for Taylor Electronics to be a leader in the industry and with Justin beside me, will keep it alive for you. Rest well, knowing you were loved by all of us.” I stood while they filled the space Craig now laid, letting my own tears fall for a man I never thought I would like, but ended up loving for everything he gave us.

I walked over to Jack’s grave, able to smile for once. We were never as close as Craig and I became, but Jack tried as best he could in the small time he had. Justin asked later about my feelings for Jack, and I told him I was his son and loved him, even when it was insane to love the man who abused you. “Yes Pop, I loved you.” I whispered before heading to the next grave.

I stood at the headstone of the man who offered everything I never had in life, and the grave I didn’t visit until after everyone had left the funeral. I didn’t want to sit with the family, because the relationship I had with Vic was ours alone. I think he and Craig would have loved being surrounded by my children. I’m sure Vic would have loved rounding out Craig’s education on the world as he saw things. “You are missed, take care of Craig for Justin and me.” I tell him, ready to go back to the living.

I turned in time to see Michael holding up the tree, well really, the tree holding him up as he watched me. Michael held on to the shop for a few months before he had to close it, his drinking left little time for a job. He went back to the Big Q and only managed a stocking position this time. He was a falling down mess, who like Jack, blamed anyone but himself for his life. I walked over to him, even though we weren’t even friends anymore.

“Deb’s worried about you.” I tell him.

“She so worried that she took his side.” Michael spits out, almost falling down.

“What did you expect her to do, not marry Carl because you don’t like it?” I ask.

“I expected the people I loved to see that I was important to them.” He tells me.

“Deb couldn’t put her life on hold for you.” I tell him.

“You did for Justin. Your life could have included the person you really loved. Instead you’ll spend your life with someone who doesn’t deserve you.” He tells me.

“I left Justin because I didn’t think I deserved the love he was willing to offer me. I left our friendship because I didn’t want or need the twisted idea of love you had in your head.” I tell him.

“You loved me, I know it, whether or not you admit it.” He tells me.

“I loved Jack too, but not enough to live that life again with you.” I tell him.

“I’m nothing like your father!” He yells.

“Go back to the bar, telling everyone about the good old days, and blaming everyone for all the things you never did. Then do me a favor and lift a toast to the man you copied. You really are pathetic.” I tell him, walking away, knowing he was too drunk to do more than scream at my back.

Justin waited at the car and we got in to ride to Jen’s for a small gathering. Ted and Brandon followed with Emmett and Charles. Brandon was almost due, and loved every minute of being pregnant. He found out they were having another daughter and shared it with Craig when we were told Craig’s battle was coming to an end. The rest of us had to wait for the birth to find out. Mel took a year to believe in Leda and married her a couple of months after they moved in together. Katie was all they planned to have, because Mel knew Ted wouldn’t agree again, for Brandon’s sake.

We made Brandon partner after I had Craig, because I wanted to watch my children grow up. Like Hannah told me, she was growing all the time. I still ran things, but Justin was doing more shows and I wanted to let him have more freedom to do the shows, by helping with the kids.

Lindsay has a few more years before she gets probation. We didn’t allow contact with Gus, because all the reports Carl got told him nothing had changed for her. Alex handed her over to the prison psychiatrist, saying he didn’t have time to indulge Lindsay in her games, when there were people who wanted help. Mel made sure even if she gets out, seeing Gus was not possible. Gus hoped the way Justin did, and I wonder if Craig was right, that there were only so many miracles available, and we used them up keeping Craig alive.

I let the kids run into Grandma’s house, and stayed outside with Justin for a moment. He’d been stronger than he believed and I missed the smile I thought about on the balcony of a penthouse.

“You made everything I believed to be impossible, possible.” I tell him.

He looked up and there it was, the smile I remembered eight years later.