The music was the first thing they heard as they climbed the stairs to the landing outside the loft. They had been driving to Woody’s and noticed a light in the loft window. Since no one was supposed to be home, they decided to investigate. Reaching the top step the two men glanced at each other, curious as to who was inside. Before either man spoke, they heard the elevator reach the top floor. Stepping up onto the landing they were surprised by the occupants exiting the elevator.

The four men stared silently at each other before one moved from the elevator opening to the loft door, quickly entered the security code for the alarm, then inserted his key in the lock and, as quietly as possible, opened the door.

As the four men entered they were surprised to find two naked men dancing to music they usually heard only at Babylon. The short dark haired man was very familiar to all of them; however the slightly taller man looked familiar as well.

The two naked men continued to bump and grind against each other, completely oblivious to their audience; that is until…

“What the fuck are you doing in our loft, Michael? And who the fuck is he?” Brian shouted at the same time that Justin grabbed the remote for the stereo from the kitchen counter and shut off the music.

Ted and Emmett stood close to the door in stunned silence staring at Michael’s dance partner. Although he was slightly shorter and not quite as trim or nearly as well endowed, the man bore more than a slight resemblance to Brian.

“Who the hell are you?” Michael’s as yet to be identified naked dance partner bellowed at Brian before Michael could make a sound.

“I happen to be one of the owners of this loft. Who the fuck are you?” Brian glared at the man.

Without responding to Brian, the man turned toward Michael. “You said you lived here alone, now I find out you have a partner?”

Michael stammered but couldn’t seem to actually form any words.

“His husband’s name is Ben. He is not, nor will he ever be, Brian’s partner; he doesn’t live here. I’m the other owner,” Justin stated calmly but with a hint of anger.

“What!? That’s bullshit! This is Brian’s loft and only Brian’s loft!” Michael shouted at Justin. “And you are not Brian’s partner!”

“You’re fucking married!?” the stranger yelled at the same time.

Ted leaned over toward Emmett and whispered, “That’s what gets Michael’s attention?”

Emmett shrugged and whispered back, “Does seem a bit low on the scale of surprise, doesn’t it? You would think he would be more concerned about the fact he was just caught dancing naked in Brian’s loft with a man who is not Ben.”

Ted nodded in agreement then, continuing to whisper, said, “I wonder if Ben is here, too.”

“I don’t think so. He was supposed to leave yesterday for a weeklong seminar in Boston,” Emmett responded.

“Oh, right.” Ted continued watching as the scene played out before them.

“Everyone shut the fuck up! I’m the one asking the questions and I don’t want anyone to open their mouth until they are ready to answer,” Brian growled out.

“Brian.” Justin reached over to his partner and gripped his arm.

“What?” Brian almost shouted the word, but realizing it was Justin he controlled himself.

“Can we at least make them put their clothes on? I don’t think I can stomach them being naked in our home much longer.”

Brian turned back to Michael and the stranger. “You heard my partner. Put your clothes on.”

Michael immediately covered his genitals having not realized he was still naked. Both men headed toward the stairs to the bedroom.

Justin paled. “Oh my God, Brian. They’ve been fucking in our bed… I think I’m going to be sick.”

Brian’s face grew red with anger. He turned toward Emmett and Ted.

“Theodore, close the door. I want both of you to stay here. Hopefully the three of you will be able to prevent me from killing Mikey and his little friend.”

Ted nodded and quickly shut the door.

Brian leaned over and placed a kiss on Justin’s temple before heading to the drink cart in the corner. As he returned to the living area of the loft with four glasses and a bottle of Jim Beam, he motioned to the others to have a seat. He placed the items on the table and began pouring drinks for everyone. They could all hear the muted conversation coming from the bedroom.

“Fuck! Ted, I forgot; you don’t drink anymore,” Brian said in way of apology for almost pouring him a tumbler of liquor.

“That’s okay; I’m fine,” Ted said, acknowledging Brian’s apology with a wave of his hand.

“We should have a couple bottles of mineral water in the fridge,” Justin offered and started to stand.

Ted waved for him to sit back down and walked to the kitchen. He returned with a cold bottle of water.

Noise from the bedroom alerted everyone to the return of Michael and his companion. The two men headed for the door.

“Stop right where you are. Neither one of you are leaving until after I get all the answers to my questions.” Brian stood and moved to stand between the door and the two men.

“You can’t keep me from leaving,” the stranger said.

“The hell I can’t. But if you would prefer I can call the police and have you both arrested for unlawful entry.” Brian smiled sarcastically; the glint in his eye showed his anger.

“Look, I had no fucking idea Michael didn’t live here. He knows where everything is; the way he moved around in here it was like he lived here. Besides he has a key! How is that unlawful entry?” the stranger continued to argue.

“Brian?” Justin stood up to join his partner by the door. “You said you got Michael’s key back.”

“I did, Justin. Evidently he had more than one.” Brian looked at his ‘best’ friend. He held out his hand, palm up, toward Michael.

Michael swallowed hard enough for everyone to hear it. He reached into his pocket for his keys, removed the loft key from the keyring and placed it in Brian’s outstretched hand.

“Sit down!” Brian growled and shoved the key into his pocket. He didn’t move until the others had taken seats.

Justin returned to the oversized chair he was sharing with Brian. Michael and his companion moved to the sofa.

“Now,” Brian began as he sat back down with Justin, “who the fuck are you and what are you doing with Michael in my loft?”

“My name is Brice Sheldon and I live in Bethel Park. Michael and I have been seeing each other for about four months. I’ve only been here a couple of times before; we usually go to my place.”

Emmett and Ted both gasped as everyone looked over at Michael who was staring at the bottle of Jim Beam on the table in front of him. He started to reach for it, but Justin was faster. He grabbed the bottle and handed it to Brian who placed it on the table by their chair.

“Bri,” Michael muttered, desperately in need of a drink.

“What?” “What?” Both Brian and Brice responded. They looked at each other in surprise.

“You call him Bri, too?” Brice asked Michael without looking away from Brian.

“He’s called me Bri off and on since we were fourteen years old; mostly when he wants something from me or wants me to do something for him. He usually calls me asshole.” Brian looked sadly at his friend.

“What the fuck are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here!” Michael shouted angrily at Brian. He jumped up and began pacing between the coffee table and sofa. Brice quickly moved his legs to prevent Michael from stepping on him.

“I fucking live here, Michael! Now sit the fuck down!” Brian yelled at Michael.

Michael continued to pace and rant. “You weren’t due back until tomorrow. This was supposed to be our night!” He stopped suddenly and turned on Justin. “This is all your fault! You made Brian come back before he was supposed to, didn’t you!?”

Brian started to respond but Justin was out of the chair and in Michael’s face before anyone knew what was happening.

“You fucking shithead asshole! You’re fucking around on your husband with a Brian Kinney lookalike… in our home… and you think you can blame that on me!?” Justin continued advancing.

Michael began to back away, shocked by Justin’s reaction. He had thought if he could intimidate Justin, turn everything around to make everyone think his being in the loft with Brice was only a misunderstanding then he could get out of the mess he had made and save his friendship with Brian. He could even convince his friends to keep Ben from finding out. He might have to give up Brice, but if he could keep Brian and Ben then it was worth it.

“You fucked him in our bed! My and Brian’s bed! You think anyone is going to say that’s my fault? You think Ben will think it’s my fault you’re fucking someone else? And why does your fuck buddy look like Brian, Michael? Why are you fucking him here, in Brian’s home; the home he shares with me? Do you really think anyone here doesn’t know you wish that Brice was Brian!?” Justin had backed Michael almost to the kitchen counter.

Michael dodged around Justin who turned and followed, still advancing on Michael who was now walking backwards toward the sofa. The others were now standing, moving closer to the two men who now were yelling at each other.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Brice doesn’t look like Brian!” Michael shouted.

“Bullshit! You’ve been trying to get Brian to fuck you ever since that unfinished hand-job when you were sixteen years old. And now that you have finally realized it will never happen, you find yourself a poor imitation to do it for him!”

“Fuck you!” Michael screamed. “I wish Brian had left you on that garage floor! I wish you had died that night! Everyone would be better off! You ruined my life!”

No one saw it coming, but no one was surprised when Justin nailed Michael with a right cross, breaking his nose and knocking him on his ass.

Brian and Emmett reached Justin at the same time. Brian grabbed him around the waist, Emmett grabbed his arm; both men pulled him away from Michael.

Ted stepped between them and Michael, shocked more by what Michael had said than by Justin’s reaction. He turned briefly to look at Justin and noticed he was cradling his right hand to his chest. Ted quickly ran to the kitchen returning a few seconds later with ice wrapped in a kitchen towel; he handed it to Brian with a quietly spoken ‘for his hand’ before he turned back to see Michael trying to sit up while holding both hands to his face at the same time.

Brice stood in stunned silence looking from his ‘lover’ to the young blond who stood shaking, surrounded by his friends.

Brian muttered instructions to his friends, and handed Ted the key he had taken from Michael, before leading Justin to the door of the loft; they were in the elevator and gone before Michael could manage to sit up.

Emmett knelt down by Michael and firmly said, “Get up, Michael. We’ll take you to the emergency room to have your nose looked at.”

“He bwoke it, Em. I’m gon’ thue ‘hat li’l thit!” Michael cried, slurring his words.

“No you’re not, Michael. You got exactly what you deserved,” Emmett stated calmly. He stood back up, refusing to help Michael stand. “Now get up.”

Michael looked up at his friend through the tears streaming down his face. He saw the look on Emmett’s face and knew he had better keep his mouth shut if he wanted any help at all getting to the hospital. He cautiously stood, wobbling slightly before getting his balance and heading behind Emmett to the door of the loft. He didn’t bother to look around for Brian or even Brice; he simply left the loft.

Ted told Emmett he would meet him downstairs as soon as he finished with Brice and locking up the loft.

“Mr. Sheldon, Brian would like to know what dates you were here in the loft with Michael.” Ted pulled his wallet from his pocket. Removing one of his business cards he continued talking as he handed it to the man. “Please call me tomorrow at this number with dates.”

Brice took the card with a shaking hand.

Ted quickly turned out the lights. He returned to the living area, took hold of the man’s elbow and escorted him to the door. Once they were both through he closed and locked the door then set the alarm with the code Brian had given him. He noticed Brice was still standing there.

“Go home, Brice. Go home and have a good stiff drink.” Ted started for the stairs. He had only gone down a few steps when he heard Brice following him. He released a silent sigh, thankful that he wouldn’t have to drag the man downstairs.

When they exited the building Ted watched Brice as he walked towards a jeep parked at the corner. He shook his head and joined Emmett next to his car; Michael was in the backseat.

“Well, Teddy, I guess we just witnessed history in the making,” Emmett said with a sigh and opened the passenger door to get in.

“You’re right, Em. The Brian and Mikey show is now history,” Ted responded softly as he walked around the car and climbed in.

Ben was frustrated and beyond exhausted as he passed through the airport exit and hailed a taxi. He had been calling Michael since late afternoon with the hope of having Michael meet him at the airport, but each time all he got was his husband’s voicemail. As he entered the taxi he pulled his phone from his pocket. Just as Ben was about to dial, his phone rang; Michael’s name popped up on the display.

A few minutes earlier at Allegheny General Hospital…

Ted crossed the ER waiting area carrying the requisite clipboard with the paperwork to be filled out before Michael could be escorted to one of the cubicles to have his nose examined. The evening’s events were still fresh in his mind as he maneuvered his way around the crowded area. Emmett was making a short pace back and forth as Michael leaned against the wall holding an icepack to his face; both his eyes were swollen and quickly turning black.

“Alright, Michael, I’m going to fill out the forms but I need your driver’s license and your insurance card. The receptionist will need to make copies of both for the hospital’s files.” Ted wrote in the information that he already knew while he waited for Michael to hand him the required documentation.

Michael fumbled around with the icepack as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He suddenly shoved the icepack into Emmett’s hands as his friend passed by once again. His face paled when he realized he didn’t have his wallet.

“I muth have lef’ id a’ Brian’th,” Michael mumbled, his broken nose causing his speech to sound slurred. “You have do go ge’d id, Ted.”

Ted looked up from the clipboard in his hand. “Michael, I can’t go get it. You know I don’t have any way of getting into the loft. Brian and Justin aren’t there now -”

“Can you blame them? I wouldn’t be surprised if they never went back,” Emmett interrupted, shoving the icepack back into Michael’s empty hands.

Michael tried unsuccessfully to glare at Emmett who simply ignored him.

“Em, calm down,” Ted said calmly. He glanced at his pacing best friend then turned back to Michael. “You’ll just have to call Ben and at least get the insurance information. Maybe he can fax a copy of his card to the hospital.”

Michael quickly shook his head ‘no’, an action he regretted immediately; the dizzy sensation nearly toppled him. If not for Ted’s quick reflexes, Michael would have been on the floor.

“Michael, you don’t have a choice; either you call or one of us will do it for you. And if one of us calls, we will be sure to tell Ben exactly why we are at the hospital,” Emmett declared as he stopped pacing long enough to confront Michael.

“Okay, okay.” Michael pulled his cellphone from his pocket. He turned away from his friends as he hit number two on his speed dial. Ben answered on the second ring.

A taxi outside Pittsburgh International Airport

“Michael, where the hell are you? I have been trying to reach you all afternoon. I knew you weren’t with Brian and Justin since they’re out of town and Emmett had a party this afternoon and Ted was at a counseling session so I knew you couldn’t be with either one of them. I finally reached Deb, but she hadn’t heard from you today. I even tried the store, but the message said you closed early for inventory. I thought you did inventory last weekend,” Ben said, rushing the words out in one long breath.

He heard Michael take a deep breath just before the nearly unintelligible words came through the phone.

“I’m a’d the hothpidal. I fell a’d the thore. I don’d have my walle’d. I need you do facth your inthuranth card do the hothpidal.”

Stunned by what he heard, Ben nearly shouted into the phone, “Michael, I’m coming to the hospital. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Ben disconnected the call; he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach after hearing his husband’s slurred speech. “Driver, get me to Allegheny General Hospital ASAP.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver acknowledged and pressed a bit harder on the accelerator.

Ben looked down at the phone in his hand and quickly made a decision.

“Hello, Deb?”

Allegheny General Hospital ER waiting room…

“Thid,” he muttered. Michael had tried twice to call Ben back but reached his voicemail both times. Resigned to having to wait a lot longer than anticipated, he shoved his phone back into his pocket.

“What’s wrong?” Ted asked. He hadn’t been able to hear what Michael said to Ben since Michael had practically been talking into the wall the whole time he was on the phone.

Michael turned back and faced his friends. “Ben ith coming here.”

“What the fuck?” Emmett said, confused by Michael’s statement. “Are you saying we have to wait here until he flies back from Boston?”

Michael shrugged.

“Call him back!” Emmett demanded.

“I twied. Id wend do voithmail.” Michael pouted. He spotted a couple of chairs that were now vacant and as quickly as he could manage, he moved around Emmett and sat down in one.

Ted followed Michael, clipboard still in hand, and took the seat next to him. Emmett began pacing once again.

“We’ll give him a few minutes and try again, Michael. Your current speech pattern probably shocked him and all he could think about was getting back here to you.” Ted gave Michael a look that said ‘You should feel even more guilty than you do right now.’

Michael looked away and placed the icepack back on his nose.

It was only fifteen minutes later that all three men were shocked to see Ben Bruckner walk through the ER doors heading straight for them pulling his rolling suitcase with him.

“Jesus, Michael. What the hell happened?” Ben asked softly as he knelt in front of his husband.

Ted interrupted. “Before we get into that, do you have your insurance card with you?”

“Uhm… yeah, Ted.” Ben pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed his insurance card along with a photocopy of Michael’s card. “Here, this should be enough to get the paperwork started,” Ben said as he handed the cards to Ted.

“Great, thanks.” Ted immediately filled in the insurance information and took everything back to the receptionist.

Emmett had stopped pacing and was now standing next to Michael and Ben. Ben remained kneeling on the floor in front of Michael, his hands moving in a comforting gesture on Michael’s thighs.

“Will someone please tell me what happened?” Ben asked again.

Before anyone can respond, the hurricane known as Debbie Novotny entered the room.

“Baby! What the fuck happened!” Debbie cried out over the noise of the waiting room.

“Yeah, Michael. Why don’t you tell your husband and your mom what happened?” Emmett stated flippantly.

Ted rejoined the group in time to hear Michael say that he fell at the store. He looked at Emmett and shook his head. When Debbie and Ben looked to them for further information the two friends simply glared down at Michael.

“Tell them what really happened, Michael.” Ted urged his friend to tell the truth.

“Michael Novotny-Bruckner,” shouted a nurse standing by the doors leading back to the ER cubicles.

Michael slowly stood up, waving to the nurse to acknowledge that he was the person she was calling for.

“I’m coming with you,” Ben stated, but Michael waved him off.

“Wai’d here, pleath,” Michael begged. He knew Ben would have a lot of questions and he couldn’t even think about what would happen when his husband learned the truth of the night’s events.

“Alright.” Ben was confused but he decided he would honor Michael’s request. Debbie started to say something but Ben grabbed her hand and shook his head. “Let him do it his way for now, Deb.”

As they watched Michael start walking toward the nurse they noticed two men exiting another cubicle down the short hallway. Justin sat in a wheelchair pushed by an orderly, his right hand resting in a pillow on his lap. Next to him was Brian, his hand on Justin’s shoulder. Brian leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Justin’s lips before the orderly turned the wheelchair and headed down another hallway.

Brian turned and walked toward the ER waiting room, noticing the group of friends watching him. He ignored Michael as they passed each other in the hallway and continued into the waiting area.

“What are you doing back, Professor?” Brian asked. “I thought you were in Boston for the week.”

“Several of the speakers came down with a stomach virus so the event was cancelled,” Ben replied. With a touch of confusion he said, “I thought you and Justin were out of town for the weekend.”

“It was just an overnight trip. We wanted to have a quiet weekend at the loft so we told everyone that we would be gone.” Brian rubbed his hands over his face. “Your hubby saw fit to ruin that though.”

“Wait a damn minute there, kiddo. You can’t blame Michael just because he had an accident at the store,” Debbie demanded.

“Were you at the store when it happened? Was Justin hurt at the same time Michael was?” Ben asked; his confusion and worry growing by the minute.

Brian, Ted and Emmett looked at Ben and Debbie realizing that once again Michael had lied to cover his own ass.

“Well, I guess Mikey strikes again.” Brian massaged the back of his neck with both hands as he made his decision knowing it would seal the end of his friendship with Michael. “Come on. I’ll explain outside. I need a cigarette and they tend to frown on that in here.”

The group headed for the doors leading to the patio area outside the ER. As they passed the receptionist Brian told her he would be back in a few minutes in case Justin returned and asked for him. She smiled and nodded at him as the group continued on their way.

Once outside Brian lit up a cigarette and began to talk.

“Well, Professor, it seems that your husband and my ‘former’ best friend has been fucking us both over for a while now; you much, much more than me.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Ben and Debbie both asked at the same time.

Brian took a long pull on his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke, blowing a couple of smoke rings as well.

“Let me tell you what really happened tonight. Justin and I arrived home tonight to find Theodore and Emmett standing outside the door to the loft. Music was blasting from inside. I opened the door to find Michael and a stranger bumping and grinding around my living room… naked.”

“What the fuck?” Ben asked with disbelief. “This is a bad joke, right?”

“No joke, Professor. I don’t think I have ever been more serious about anything in my life.” Brian flicked the ashes from the end of his cigarette and took another long pull on it. He waited for Ben and Debbie to both digest what he had said, surprised that Debbie hadn’t exploded in immediate defense of her son.

“I don’t understand,” Debbie finally said. “Michael… my Michael… was in your loft… with a strange man… naked.”

Brian nodded.

“I don’t believe you. He wouldn’t -” Debbie was interrupted by Ted.

“It’s true, Deb. Emmett and I were there. We saw them, too.”

Tears began to fill Debbie’s eyes as she looked over at Ben, her heart breaking at the look on her son-in-law’s face.

Brian went on to tell them everything else that had happened leading up to their separate visits to the hospital. When he repeated what Michael had said to Justin and how Justin had punched Michael, Debbie gasped and her tears finally fell, streaking her face. She reached out instinctively and grabbed Ben’s hand in hers.

“How long has…” Ben cleared his throat. “How long has Michael been seeing this guy… do you know?”

“About four months according to… I think his name is Brice. Evidently the two have been meeting at his place in Bethel Park, but they have been at our loft a few times. Which explains Michael’s increased interest in my schedule the past few months.”

Ted interjected telling them that he had given Brice his business card and asked him to call regarding the dates he remembered being in the loft with Michael.

“Jesus. I don’t know what to say… what to do.” Ben leaned against the wall stunned by everything Brian had told them and wondering what had happened to the man he married.

“There’s one other thing you should probably know,” Brian said.

“There’s more?” Ben wasn’t sure he wanted to hear any more.

“This guy… Brice Sheldon… bears a strong resemblance to me. He’s not quite as tall and a bit stockier than me, but he looks enough like me that some people could mistake us for brothers.”

“Holy fuck!” Debbie shouted.

“He needs help, Deb. I can’t be around him until he gets that help. I’m sorry but to be completely honest… I’m not sure I can ever be around Michael again. And I know Justin won’t want to be around him.” Brian extinguished his cigarette. “I’m going to head back inside. Justin should be back by now.”

The small group watched Brian walk back into the hospital before they followed at a much slower pace.

Twenty minutes later.

Ben walked out of Michael’s cubicle. Across the hallway Brian and Justin, his hand in a brace and his arm now in a sling, were exiting the cubicle assigned to them. The three men walked the short distance in silence before joining the rest of their little group in the waiting area.

Debbie reached out and caressed Justin’s cheek then gave him a gentle hug, careful not to jar his arm.

“What my son did and said tonight was reprehensible and unimaginable. If I had been there I would have done the same thing you did, Sunshine. In fact as soon as he’s healed I’ll probably smack the fuck out of him myself.” Debbie spoke softly into Justin’s ear before releasing him with another caress of his cheek. “The only other thing I have to say is… next time lead with your left.” She smiled gently at Justin then turned and greeted Brian the same way.

“What did they say about your hand, Baby?” Emmett asked softly. It was disconcerting seeing Justin’s right hand in the brace and sling.

“Jammed a couple of fingers and sprained my wrist. Should be good as new in about a week,” Justin replied.

“We’ll be staying in the company suite at the William Penn for a couple of days if you need us.” Brian took hold of Justin’s left hand, ready to leave.

“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your own home?” Debbie asked.

Justin shook his head. “How could you think we would want to go back there tonight, if ever? After finding out that Michael and his fuck buddy have been fucking in our bed? It feels like our home… we… have been violated, Deb.” Justin turned to Ben. “Sorry, Ben, I don’t mean to be so blunt… fuck.”

Ben shook his head and said, “It’s okay, Justin. I understand.”

Before Debbie could speak without thinking, Brian added to Justin’s comment.

“Deb, we bought a new mattress six months ago. No one else has been in our bedroom since then. At least no one we knew about. We both still trick occasionally, but only at the clubs or baths, never in the loft.”

“And now my son has ruined that. I’m sorry; I didn’t know. I just thought it would be better than staying in a hotel,” Debbie explained.

“If you’d like, I can help you get the mattress removed and disposed of tomorrow, Brian,” Ted offered.

“Thanks, Theodore. I may take you up on that offer.” Brian nodded to his friend and employee.

“You may as well dispose of all the bedding, too, since we don’t know which sets were on the bed whenever they were in the loft,” Justin added firmly. The thought of Michael rolling around naked in their bed made him nauseous to say the least.

“That’s going a bit far, don’t you think?” Debbie asked.

“Deb, how would feel if you found out that your best friend had secretly been fucking someone in your bed for months; someone who looked a lot like your lover?” Justin watched Debbie’s expression.

A flash of Jennifer with a Carl lookalike in her bed streaked across Debbie’s mind; she shuddered. “I see what you mean.”

With that, Brian bid everyone goodnight and led Justin out of the hospital.

It wasn’t long after Brian and Justin had left the hospital that Michael rejoined his family and friends. The nurse that accompanied him explained to Ben and the others that Michael didn’t require surgery, it was a clean break and would just need time to heal. She handed Ben a prescription slip for Michael’s pain medication and returned to work.

Ben looked at his husband, who stood staring at the floor, his arms crossed over his chest, a bright white bandage across his nose causing the bruising around both eyes to stand out even more than it normally would. He handed the slip of paper with the prescription written on it to Debbie.

“Deb, I think it would be best if Michael stayed with you tonight… maybe for a few days.”

“Ben…” Michael started only to stop when Ben looked at him with so much disappointment in his eyes.

“Shut up, Michael!” Debbie said angrily at her son. “You’re right, Ben. You’ll need some time to think and Michael needs time to heal a bit before the two of you talk. In the meantime, I will be doing a lot of talking and my son will be doing a lot of listening. Come on, Michael, let’s go.” She grabbed her son’s sleeve and pulled him alongside her as she left the hospital.

Ben tightened his grip on his luggage handle watching his husband walk away.

Ted cleared his throat gaining the attention of Ben and Emmett. “Why don’t we give you a ride home, Ben?”

“Or would you rather go somewhere else for the night?” Emmett asked. He wasn’t sure Ben would want to go back to the home he shared with Michael.

“No, Emmett. Home will be fine. Thanks, Ted.” Ben gave his friends a slight smile as the three of them left the hospital.

Epilogue:

The aftermath of Michael’s deceit affected everyone in the small family of friends. Even the relationship between mother and son was changed forever after the reaming Debbie gave Michael that night; she even made good on her comment to Justin to ‘smack the fuck’ out of her son once he was healed.

Both Ted and Emmett remained cordial to Michael, but their friendship never returned to what it had once been. There were no more three-way phone conversations, no more meeting up for breakfast, and no more partying at Babylon together.

As for Brian and Justin, they were unable to move past the image of Michael and Brice in their loft so they sold it and moved to Britin permanently. Brian ignored any and all attempts by Michael to reconnect after accepting Michael’s apology. And since neither Justin nor Michael would sell their share of the comic, there were no more issues of ‘Rage.’

Michael stayed at his mother’s house for several days before Ben was ready to talk about everything that had transpired. Ben did try to forgive Michael, but eventually the extent of Michael’s obsession with Brian became too much and he filed for divorce. They sold their house and Ben and Hunter moved into a condo close to Carnegie Mellon while Michael moved into a small one bedroom apartment off Liberty Ave.

Two months after the divorce was finalized, Michael took a long look at his life and finally sought the counseling he had long needed.

The end.