JUSTIN

Michael got in the backseat, and for the first time, I wish he’d fought to sit up front. Brian took off the minute the door closed, staring at both of us. He drove us straight to the diner and got out, not saying a word. I turned to say something to Michael, when my door was pulled open and Brian pulled me out of the Jeep. Michael followed us in. We got to the booth, and not really thinking, I sat next to Michael, then saw Brian’s almost homicidal look at Michael. I was really getting pissed about being yanked around at this point, but sat next to Brian instead of possibly getting Michael killed. This wasn’t making sense, because at this point, Michael was the one Brian went all caveman over, at least in public. 

Deb came over and kissed Michael’s head and put food in front of him. Then she asked what I wanted and told Brian he didn’t need to hold me down to keep me here. Brian looked puzzled that he had practically anchored me next to him and let me go. A guy walked by, flirting with him, but Brian ignored him instead of taking off to the bathroom for the blow job the guy was offering, practically spelling it out in bold by licking his lips. Michael looked at me, just as confused as I was about the whole Brian ignoring a blow job at this point. 

“What happened with Lindsay?” Michael asks.

“I’m more interested in why, when I got done talking to her, you had taken off with Justin.” Brian asked, glaring at him.

“Brian, what happened with Lindsay?” I asked, hoping to get Brian’s attention away from Michael.

“The usual drama she and Mel live for, nothing that won't blow over.” He tells me.

“It sounds more like she thinks you and Boy Wonder shouldn't be seeing each other.” Michael tells him. 

“Who?” Brian asks. 

Michael looked at me, realizing the nickname was something he did later. “Justin. It sounds like she thinks you'll be lumped in with the guys who were arrested the other night if you keep him around.” He tells Brian.

“When did you start calling him pet names?” Brian asks, almost sounding jealous.

“I guess I picked it up from Aunt… Ma. What was Lindsay’s problem?” Michael asks. 

“Hey, you took off without me.” Emmett says, coming to the table with Ted.

“She wants me to help her find a place for her and Gus to live.” Brian tells us, ignoring Emmett. 

“That's not all she said.” Emmett tells him. 

“She was making a big deal over nothing.” Brian tells him. 

“Since he won't tell you, I will. She said it would be better for Brian if he ended things with Baby here.” Emmett tells us. 

“There's nothing to end. We fuck.” Brian tells him, getting out and nodding at the guy from earlier to meet him in the bathroom.

“This shit is messing with my head.” I whisper when Brian was gone.

“Did you notice how he was acting?” Michael asks. 

“Like he didn’t like you and I near each other? Yeah I noticed. It was how he acted when you and I did Rage together. Which if you think about it, made sense, because until then you and I barely tolerated each other.” I tell him. 

“Yet he makes it sound like you and he are more than fuck buddies, and then off he goes to prove it wrong. Lindsay kept implying you and Brian were in a relationship, and then went on and on about how she never thought Brian would settle down with anyone. Which of course had him denying there was anything going on with Justin. She even said it would look better if she and Brian got a house together, then anything Mel tried to imply would come off as her being a jealous ex. According to Lindsay, they could protect Gus by acting as if they had a normal relationship, while Brian would be free to be Brian. She told him she wouldn't expect anything from him and he could use the loft instead of their house to hook up. I think we are dealing with more than an eternity in hell.” Emmett tells us, as Ted looks at all of us strangely.

“Brian wouldn’t do it, he doesn't believe in hiding who he is for anyone.” Michael tells us. 

“If she can convince him it's for Gus, then he'd do it. He did when she and Mel came to him to get Gus into some preschool. She's had time to figure out the things that work on Brian, and the things that didn’t. She was never stupid, just tended to plan without seeing all the variables. Which with as much time as she's had, makes this a different game.” I tell them.

“Hopefully she doesn't figure out the pieces have changed since the last time.” Michael tells me. 

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Ted asks.

“I’ll fill you in, since no one told me I can’t. Until then, just pretend we’re discussing Michael’s comics.” Emmett tells Ted.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Michael asks Emmett.

“Well, I get the feeling it won’t matter if Lindsay wins. Marty made it sound like the whole end of days.” He tells us.

“Which reminds me, we need to corner Todd. Apparently we were never alone during all of this.” I tell them.

“I found that one kind of nice, it just proves all the religious fanatics are full of shit.” Emmett giggles.

“We need to get out of here while Brian is busy. If we don’t want to clue Lindsay in, than we need to do the things we normally did, which means I’m stuck in school.” I groan.

Everyone agrees that it would be better to get out, because everyone around is watching Michael and I talking as if we get along. We were always taking swipes at each other, so the bored Queens looking for gossip were watching every move we made. Ted agreed to drive us where we needed to go, liking that Michael didn’t even protest at leaving Brian behind. I was excited to see Daphne. Our friendship was different in the new timeline because of the way I grew up. I didn’t get close to people, and my best friend was a thirteen year old punk. It was a bigger difference between Brian and me, I held people at a distance while Brian opened his life to people. 

“Before you get to school, there's something you need to know. Daphne’s been keeping Hunter with her. I’ve been keeping her away from Brian, since he doesn’t have any idea about the reason Hunter was with her. I’m just glad she hasn’t shown up to get answers. Marilyn is willing to let Hunter stay with her, but he really needs a place more permanent.” Michael tells me.

“Deb would take him in, at least until we can get this timeline back to where it’s suppose to be.” I tell him.

“What about you?” Michael asks.

“I can take care of myself, like Lindsay, I know exactly how to play my father.” I tell him.

“You don’t think he’s going to figure out you’re not the right one? Kira showed up because Craig was thinking of how to eliminate you from the game.” Michael tells me.

“I also know my father’s secrets, which means he has more to lose if he fucks with me. Plus, I can give him what he really gives a shit about. Money.” I tell him.

“What do you mean?” Ted asks, interested.

“My father took my trust when he kicked me out, something that I never knew existed. The last time you helped my mother get it out from under my father. This time he can have it. Mom ended up using the money for a scholarship for LGBT teens who needed help when their parents kicked them out. Which you turned into a shit load more than it started as.” I tell him.

“Your father kicked you out? Wait, why do you keep saying things like they already happened? I don’t even know your mother.” Ted tells me.

“Where exactly are we right now?” I ask Michael.

“On the way to get you to school.” Ted tells me.

“Mel and Lindsay were supposed to have a party, but the invitations didn’t go out. That’s changed. And Blake is supposed to meet Ted, but it didn’t happen. Although Marilyn said we could avoid that if we wanted to. I was here for almost a month before you came back and Emmett and Justin disappeared the minute you am this Emmett showed up. David’s been asking me out, but I just don’t see the point in dating him when we both know I never really fit in with him.” Michael tells me.

“Michael, David will keep Lindsay from getting suspicious of us. You can’t change what she expects to happen. Just like we need to get Blake to meet Ted, because we can’t change too much.” I tell him.

“Shit, that’s why we worked so well together on Rage.” Michael tells me.

“Who is… you know what, I don’t need to know.” Ted tells us.

“GHB isn’t going to enhance anything, it’s just going to put you in a coma. Do me a favor and don’t make me buy you a fucking chicken when we managed to avoid it already.” Michael tells him.

“Okay, hopefully that will make sense, because right now I feel like I woke up in the wrong universe. When did you stop looking at Brian like he was the answer to your dreams?” Ted asks Michael.

“The day he came along.” Michael smiles at me.

We pulled up to the school and Michael handed me my clothes for school. “I got Daphne to get them for you, no need to let the assholes here give you a harder time than they already do. I’ll talk to Aunt… Ma and convince her to let Hunter stay with her. Although I have to say, Daphne’s parents didn’t bat an eyelash at Hunter being there when they figured it out.” Michael tells me.

“Aww, you and Daphne finally figured out a way to be friends.” I tease.

“She helped Hunter, which means I love her for doing what I didn’t.” He tells me.

“I always thought Ben cared more, but it’s like he ignored Hunter instead of helping him.” I tell him, changing into my school clothes.

“I think it’s more that Hunter didn’t ever doubt the reason Jen wanted him. Ben and I just jumped into being parents when neither of us knew what we were doing. Don’t judge Ben too much, because I agree with him that Hunter needed someone like Jen to help him. It’s why I wish she was ready now for Hunter, because Ma’s great, but she smothers too much.” Michael tells me.

“Hunter doesn’t need to be near my sperm donor. Just talk to Vic about not letting Deb make Hunter run. Vic can raise his father.” I joke, running out to meet Daphne.

MICHAEL

I called into work, because I honestly couldn’t play the hetero part my insecurities of the past made me play. Emmett and I stayed at our apartment, telling Ted everything. I kept thinking it could be a mistake, because of the free will thing. Only Ted being in a coma didn’t do anything other than Ted almost dying. Well, that and me figuring out that Ted wanted me the way I wanted Brian. Ted called Mel to ask her if everything with Lindsay was going okay, which only caused more confusion when Mel asked why he thought there was a problem. Ted asked her if we could come to her office.

“Why do you think Lindsay and I are having problems?” Mel asks.

“She told Brian that you didn’t like him and Justin together.” I tell her.

“Of course I don’t, but only because Justin doesn’t need Brian treating him like a fuck toy. Justin’s a smart kid, but Brian tends to get men to think with the wrong head. Lindsay and I were talking about it last night and we thought it would be good to introduce Justin to other younger guys. In fact we were going to see if Justin wanted to go to PIFA, and help him by showing him he needs to think of his future.” She tells us.

“Why PIFA?” I ask.

“Lindsay made a friend who she thinks Justin would like to meet.” Mel tells us.

“Ethan Gold?” I ask.

“You know him?” Mel asks.

“I met him, but when did you and Lindsay?” I ask.

“We went to see him play at a concert at PIFA.” Mel tells me.

“He and Lindsay became friends?” I ask.

“They’re friendly, I wouldn’t say friends. She invited him to dinner with us after the concert and seems to want to help him.” She tells us.

“He jumped at the chance?” I ask.

“I think at first he didn’t really want anything to do with her. Which now that I think about it, was strange, because she started playing into his ego, and saying he didn’t want to spend his life playing on the streets when she could help him by introducing him to the right people.” Mel tells us.

“The right people?” Emmett asks.

“Other than her parents, maybe other professors that she knew. I’m not really sure.” Mel tells him.

We left when Mel told us she had a client waiting, deciding not to tell her about what Lindsay was up to. Ted took us back to the apartment and took off late for work himself. I paced, trying to figure out what she was trying to do with Ethan, because the last thing I needed was for us to be distracted the way we were before. It would help if Justin was here, and thought we should talk about him staying with Emmett and me. 

“You really think that’s a good idea?” Emmett asks.

“If Ma takes in Hunter, than Justin will need a place to stay. Staying with Brian wouldn’t work, plus I kind of want to see what happens when Brian’s place gets robbed and Justin isn’t there to take the blame. Hopefully we won’t be here that long, but it’s possible.” I tell him.

“Why do you think that?” He asks me.

“Brian fought letting Justin mean more to him for almost two years. He used the robbery as a reason to kick Justin out, never really finding out what happened, blaming Justin. I think Brian needs to see Justin has a life that might not include him, if he wants to dick him around.” I tell him.

“Other than running off with the trick at the diner, he seemed to be pissed that you took off with Justin.” Emmett tells me.

“Interesting. Maybe we could use that to keep Lindsay off balance.” I tell him.

“What about David? Justin had a good point.” He tells me.

“I guess I’m going to learn how to juggle the way Justin did, with two jobs, a comic, and Brian’s never ending demands of his time. Boy Wonder was always three steps ahead, it’s time for me to catch up.” I tell him.