JUSTIN

A life where Brian and I don’t exist together; it’s not something that I can’t say doesn’t scare me. It’s also something that could be dangerous in the hands of Michael, because you couldn’t be sure what he was capable of doing in any situation. Ethan wanted to finally do something to best Brian, so at least he was predictable. Ben had always been a kind, decent guy; shitty taste in men, but overall wanted the best for the people he knew. It’s why I’m confused at this Ben, and the last one. Ben chased after Hunter trying to help him the first life, but in the second and this one, left Hunter without a thought. It just makes me wonder if Ben had ever been the guy I thought he was.

“You know, if you can’t decide what you want for lunch, I can just get you your usual.” Hunter says, when apparently I hadn’t answered him.

“Get a vegan wrap too, I have a meeting with an author, and we’ll be going through his book for a while.” I tell Hunter.

“I don’t get why you want to publish it. I tried to read it, but just ended up skimming over the long drawn out lectures the boring guy seemed to think were more important. I mean, you get to start over and change your life, but instead you end up not doing anything to make it better. What would be the point in reliving a life if you keep repeating the same mistakes?” Hunter asks me, leaving, passing by Ben who heard him.

“I guess he won’t be a fan.” Ben tells me, sitting down.

I got up and closed the door when Marty tried to come in. Marty wanted me to ask a list of questions, since he couldn’t read people's minds anymore. I decided that leaving Ben in the dark wouldn’t get answers. “Hunter has a point, why bother to come back when you never seem to get away from the life you claim you don’t want.” I tell him.

“How long?” He asks.

“Not long, but again, I have to question why Hunter is once again someone you didn’t even check on?” I ask.

“Michael and I did nothing right for Hunter. We didn’t help him when the school wanted him gone. We let him leave with a few dollars, knowing he would return to hustling, and let him believe Jenny was more important, when she had four parents and Hunter only had us. Jen took Hunter in and gave him a reason to respect her as a mother. He respects you more than he ever did me. I wanted him to have the life being a part of your family gave him. In this life I’m single and am not a role model for Hunter because he and I don't share anything anymore. I doubt he would have trusted me if I tried your approach to him.” He tells me.

“Emmett wondered why you told Ethan you knew?” I ask, changing the subject because it was at least better answers this time.

“I made the mistake of calling Deb and Vic by name before they were introduced. Ethan didn’t miss the slip. When he started questioning me, I told him I was tired of Brian always coming out on top. He told me he knew of a way to give Brian what he deserves. Which I already knew, but pretended to be interested. Only, Ethan doesn’t trust anyone, and told me that we needed to stick close to each other and figure out how to get Michael to remember. Every time I try to get away from him, he manages to show up everywhere. He’s even been auditing my classes, while Michael is at work.” He tells me.

“What did you do to get him to mistrust you?” I ask.

“He thought I wanted Michael, and was willing to help me finally get a Michael that didn’t worship Brian. I couldn’t even pretend to be interested, because I know where to find the person I love.” He tells me.

“Then why not just go find the guy? Everything's different than before.” I tell him.

“We meet in Tibet, which is where we always meet. It's something I didn't do the first time and can't afford to yet, this time. I just can’t risk Michael changing it. Lindsay wasn’t happy with me either, and wanted us all to pay for where she is. We both know Lindsay’s like a puppet master when it comes to Michael. She personifies a woman scorned. If Michael remembers, I hope that for once he listens, because what he knows could change all our lives.” He tells me.

“You know, don’t you?” I ask.

“The lives we never lived give clues to why they were timelines that didn’t happen. In one, you and I meet but you don't meet Brian. You died because Brian wasn’t there. Brian manages to actually kill himself that night, because Michael was working, not with David. Without you, Brian never really had a reason to stop doing things and takes the wrong drug that night. Lindsay found out how to go back to different lives, and by doing that, could change the extinct timeline, because it's there, just no longer being lived. But if someone had a noble reason to go back, they could.” He tells me.

“You think Michael could show a reason to go back?” I ask.

“If he does, then nothing would be the same. Michael was trying to make amends, but even in the last life, everyone but him got lives that ended happily. He knows Brian was told who would have made Michael happy, but didn't do anything to help him. Which leaves us with a possibly volatile Michael, with his true love Ethan; who Michael  believes is the love of his life.” Ben tells me.

“Which means doing everything to keep the man he loves happy.” Brian says, from my bathroom.

“If Michael remembers, he's also going to remember Ethan, they weren't two people who could be in the same room together. You need to factor that in too.” Emmett tells us, coming out behind Brian.

“You still didn't believe me?” Ben asks them.

“Until I had facts, no. You've been the wild card since you appeared.” Brian tells him.

“I just don’t think Michael could come up with a reason to go back, that takes a little more intelligence than we've ever witnessed in Michael.” Emmett tells him.

“He could attempt to keep Vic from getting HIV, it would be something not for him but for a man he loved like a father. It would have to be something that isn't self serving.” I throw out there.

“But wouldn’t that be sort of self serving?” Emmett asks.

“It depends really on if Vic surviving served a greater purpose.” Marty rushes in.

“But he died so the his time for serving a purpose ended, right?” Ben asks.

“I want you to know life sucks when I know what I could have, just wanted to complain for a second.” Marty tells us, when Brian glared. “Anyway, think about if Vic didn’t get HIV. He wouldn't have lost his career, and could have gotten Brian out of Kinney hell, because he, like Brian, would have been a successful, respected businessman. With Brian’s age and history, there would have been a way for Vic to beat a flawed system. So Michael could use it because it would have been for Brian and Vic.” He tells us.

“But Baby would be missing, which means not so good for Brian.” Emmett tells him.

“But Brian wouldn’t know that, and Michael being Michael, might see the future he wanted, because Brian would have been less jaded if Vic raised him. It's not like I'm saying any of this happens, but it's a possibility because Vic always regretted letting Brian go back to his home, but he didn’t have a choice, because no one would have let him take Brian.” Marty tells us.

“I guess extinct only means until someone finds a reason to resurrect it.” Emmett says.

“Vic might have said it disappeared, but it's like all of them, just out there not being lived anymore. Unfortunately free will can give anyone a way to change it.” Marty tells us.

My door opens and Hunter comes in. “I guess I skimmed too much of that book. At least what you guys were talking about sounded less ‘snooze fest’.” He tells us.

“I guess I'll never have you agreeing that my books don't put people to sleep.” Ben jokes, smiling at Hunter.

BRIAN

After Hunter seemed to decide he was staying in Justin’s office, Ben told us he needed to get back before anyone starts trying to find him. Justin, Hunter, and I had a kid to liberate. Gus was now my foster child, until they approved the rest. All the other shit could wait, Justin and I wanted our son.

We found Gus sitting on the steps waiting for us. He flew to me as soon as I opened the gate, and was ready to go home. Linda held a suitcase with the things she bought for Gus. She helped us get Gus in his seat, after hugging him and telling me to call if I have any questions about Gus.

“What about Jenny?” I ask.

“Mel and Marianne have been wavering, something about careers. I think it’s more Marianne then Mel.” She tells me.

“I’ll talk to Mel and find out, but if they don’t take Jenny, let me know.” I tell her.

I waited until we got to Justin’s house and let Hunter play with Gus while I to talked to Mel. Jenny wasn’t going to stay there if Mel wavered, but I wanted to give Mel the chance before Justin and I took our girl.

“Brian, it’s Marianne, she started seeing the changes we’d have to make in order to have a child and said she wasn’t ready. We talked about it, and I want Jenny, but she told me if I did then I do it alone.” She tells me.

“Then do it alone. It sounds like she was only going through with it hoping you’d change your mind.” I tell her.

“I’m hoping that maybe it’s just bad timing and she’ll be willing later.” Mel tells me.

“Meanwhile, Jenny goes without a home because your partner doesn’t want her.” I tell her, not happy that once again Mel worries more about her partner.

“Brian, it’s not that we’re saying no, just that we have to make sure it’s right for us.” She tells me.

I hung up, disappointed in Mel, she’s always ends up with people that don’t want the things she wants, but stays anyway.

“How hard would it be to foster two kids? No matter what happens, we live the life we want, and trust that a world doesn’t exist that we don’t live it together.” Justin tells me.