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.