JUSTIN

I love Beth. She didn’t make it awkward when meeting my mom and sisters. She was too busy wanting to share in the excitement of Brian being approved for Gus. Then hugging my mom and Kitty when Brian told her we were going to get married. I kept having to stop myself from calling Mandy “Molly” when we were sitting around talking with everyone.

“It's fine, most people call me by my first name, but if you want you can call me Molly, it’s my middle name. It's why we call Brittany Bree, she doesn't like the name dad uses. So we use her middle name, Brianna.” She tells me.

“Where did your last name come from?” Bree asks.

“When you’re not adopted you just get a common last name, I guess Taylor was next on the list.” I tell her, wishing my mother didn’t look saddened by hearing that I never had a family.

“Honey, at least he doesn't have horror stories.” Kitty tells her.

“No, apparently Jen saved him from that when she didn’t let her ex raise him.” Emmett tells her. “Brian sort of filled me in.” Emmett tells her, when he realized it wasn’t something he should know.

Hunter’s stomach went off and all the moms couldn’t let their newest baby go hungry, so we were all told to fix our plates and find a seat. It reminded me of Deb's dinners, but without the conversations we had. I watched as my mother made friends with Kitty and Beth, realizing this was easier than it was for her when she met Deb. Before my mother and sisters left, Mom was invited into Beth Kinney’s life. Hunter found out that he now had three mother hens when he told me he was going to hang out with my sister, and would figure out a way home later. He was told to call and Brian’s father would deliver him to my door or he could stay with Brian’s parents for the night. Beth pulled Brian aside and told him the moms were going to look into a way to get Hunter an education.

Emmett came running to go with us when Kitty brought up expecting Drew to show up at the family party for Gus. We decided to go see what was going on at Babylon, since Hunter was busy. I wanted to dance with Brian and Emmett, since we haven’t done that together. At least that’s what I told Brian. I figured our stalkers were likely waiting around our old haunts, and I wanted to know what the hell was up. I at least had a reason to hunt down Ben, to tell him he was about to finally publish a book.

When we walked in I saw Ben and Ethan standing at the bar, without Michael. Brian rolled his eyes but followed me to them.

“Ben, I should wait, but I figured since you’ve been asking, I'd  tell you that your book is going to be published.” I tell him, seeing he didn’t expect that.

“Yet my book wasn’t something you thought was worth your time. I guess shitty romance authors are really all that the small minds of your readers can understand.” Ethan says, making me apologize to Brian in my head for ever seeing anything about Ethan that was worth losing Brian over.

“Actually the readers just wouldn’t get the references you make that don’t fit with the topic you're writing. Your characters come off as assholes, which Ben’s did too, but he at least realized that no one would want the boring guy over the bad boy.” I tell them.

BRIAN

I like games in bed, not in my life. I wanted to know, not speculate, why anything Ben or Ethan thought they were up to would accomplish anything. So I kissed Justin just to see if there was anything that would bother Ben about it. That it would bother Ethan was a given.

“I'm going to check out the talent.” I tell Justin.

“Good luck.” Justin tells me, understanding I was planning to get Ben alone.

“Interesting relationship you have, but I guess you were never enough for him.” Ethan spouted, outing himself.

Ben followed me, like Mikey of other lives, but seeing him not really care about my PDA with Justin, really didn’t give credence to him being after me, or even Justin. I stopped and cornered him, deciding to give him what everyone keeps saying he wanted. He was into the body rubbing up to him, but the second before we kissed we both pulled back, me because it was the rule I never broke, but Ben not really seeming as into it as everyone believed but me.

“I guess the twat and Emmett were wrong. Why are you pretending to stalk me?” I ask.

“I didn’t want Justin to deal with you, he deserves better.” He tells me.

“You know, I can still tell when someone is bullshitting me, that’s a skill I kept from life to life. Why not lay all your cards on the table and explain why you think anything you do can change what’s already the life I’ll always have.” I tell him.

It was interesting to watch Ben trying to decide whether to lie or finally tell the truth. It’s never been his strong suit, lying.

“I couldn’t let Ethan try what he was by using Michael. I managed to make it so Michael doesn’t remember, but Ethan knows. You want to know why I’m around Michael? It’s in hopes he doesn’t remember the way to stop this life. Ethan only knows that somewhere in Michael’s head is the answer. So for once, I wanted to protect Justin and you, but in order to do that I have to stick around and make sure Michael doesn’t remember. Which means hating you along with the other two. Vic tried to help by making Michael’s life as different as all of yours, but unfortunately Michael still ended up here in almost the same life. I don’t know what could trigger Michael, so far, with him and you not really being friends, you haven't done anything that could bring him back. Ethan needs you to keep seeing me as the guy trying to fuck up your life, because Ethan does remember, and still hates you for Justin never loving his arrogant ass. He guards Michael as much as he's been doing with me.” He tells me.

“Why not just tell me, is there some reason you had to make this complicated?” I ask him.

“Think about it. The only time you see me, who’s glued to my side? In fact, he’s watching us now. He's hoping something you do or say will trigger Michael to remember. So I've made it so you ignore Michael and bitch at me.” He tells me.

“What could what Michael knows, do?” I ask.

“Make it so when you're born the next time, Justin isn’t. Lindsay’s last ‘fuck you’ to both of you was telling Michael how to accomplish separating the string that keeps you and Justin together in every life. I starting seeing Ted, hoping he remembered, and we could have a reason why you and I would talk. Only you and Emmett weren’t really making it easy when I realized you both knew. In truth, I'm not sure Michael would do anything, except he found out Justin met Michael’s soul mate in a way Michael wouldn’t like. So we're dealing with the possibility Michael might decide to cut the string, for Justin once again getting something Michael thinks belongs to him. If he does, this life stops and Justin goes back, with you forgetting him.” He tells me.

“Why should I trust you, everything you've done reeks of Michael’s bullshit?” I tell him.

“Because I have a soul mate that Michael could do the same thing to. I'm here for my own selfish reasons.” He tells me.

“At least that makes sense.” I tell him, walking away when Ethan showed up.

I wasn’t sure I believed everything until I saw the look in Ben's eyes. It was fear, the same fear I felt when Justin almost died because of that fucker Chris. With Michael, you never knew what he would do. So, Ben wanting to meet his soulmate without the possibly of Michael getting even for Ben not sticking to Michael in the last life, gave me a reason to not doubt him. All the things he’d done were to keep an eye on the idiot who should have remembered where Lindsay ended up.

When I explained it all to Justin and Emmett, they looked disappointed Ben wasn’t getting the villain role.

“It made him interesting for once.” Justin shrugged, as Emmett seem to agree.

“Why go all mission impossible with it? Telling us would have been easier.” Emmett tells me.

“Like with Justin, there’s a way to trigger Michael’s memory, and if we do, then we have no clue what Michael would do with what he knows. Ben kept me away from Michael by using himself, at least that’s the story. If you two are right, then Ben could be waiting to see if Michael remembers, and using it to try to get a relationship from me, but I think he’s protecting the life he wants.” I tell them.

“Still, if I go back, Ethan wouldn’t gain my attention. I didn’t like him before I knew.” Justin tells us.

“Really, we’re trusting Ben, who hasn't been very trust worthy. I mean he isn’t lying about Ethan acting like a guard dog. Every time I've seen Ben, usually Michael and Ethan appear. Even when we saw Ted out with Ben, and really since Ben showed up, it was suddenly Ethan and Michael everywhere Ben is. It could be why Ethan lets Michael support him, it gives him a way to watch Ben and all of us. The only question I have is why let Ethan know Ben remembered?” Emmett asks.

“Good question, and one we can't ask until Ethan isn’t around. Ben and I have to meet to discuss his book, so it's one place he can get away from Ethan. If he's telling the truth, he'll use the time to give us better answers.” Justin tells us.

“Meanwhile I think you wanted a dance.” I tell him pulling him with me.

“No matter what, just keep dancing.” Justin smiles.