BRIAN

When I woke up Cameron was plastered on top of me, drooling. I felt for Justin and found the bed empty. I hated that I was constantly tired, because it meant missing Justin in the mornings. In the last couple of weeks, unless Justin was up with me while I heaved a lung, we didn’t lay in bed together in the morning. Not that I minded waking up with Cameron, but I missed mornings when I turned over and saw Justin there. 

I lifted Cameron off me, and carried him downstairs with me. He was still sleeping when I got to the kitchen. Nick was on the phone looking like he wanted to murder someone. Justin wasn’t there, and I had a feeling it’s why Nick looked like he wanted to blow something up.

“Hey, want me to take him?” Emmett asks, putting a plate on the table for me.

“Where’s Justin?” I ask.

“Well apparently that’s the question of the hour.” Drew tells me.

“He slipped out last night, after we all went to bed.” Emmett tells me.

“I swear to God, when I find him, I’m going to spank his ass and Daphne’s, for you Brian.” Nick tells me, hanging up the phone.

“Explain what’s going on.” I tell him.

“Let me take Cameron. I doubt he’ll sleep through the tirade Nick’s on. Do me a favor and eat before you explode.” Emmett tells me, taking Cameron out of the room.

“I should have known he’d do this, but I stupidly forgot who Justin was. Last night he said it was his job to take care of his family. Which in Justin speak means he plans to figure this out. It also means that his partner in crime, my pregnant wife, helps him. We need to find out what made him take off after talking to Mel, because right now no one can find him.” Nick tells me.

‘How do you know he called Mel?” I asked.

“Because I snooped, with Justin it’s the only way to find out what he doesn’t want you to know. Justin left his phone here so we couldn’t trace him.” He tells me.

“If she causes him to get hurt…” I growled dialing her number.

“Brian?” Mel answers, sounding like I woke her up.

“Is Justin over there?” I ask.

“No. I thought he would be, but he hasn’t showed up.” She tells me.

“Why did you think he would be?” I ask her.

“He didn’t like that Lindsay put Gus in that situation with her parents last night. Was Gus upset when he got home? He seemed okay when he left with Jen.” She tells me.

“He was fine, just didn’t want anything to do with them again. Is that all you and Justin talked about?” I ask.

“I told him that I asked Lindsay to leave, and not to trust her.” She tells me.

“Why would you tell him not to trust her?” I ask.

“She was on the phone and it sounded like it had something to do with Michael. I didn’t get why she would even have anything to do with Michael. I didn’t tell Justin this, but she told whoever she was talking to that she wouldn’t help if they didn’t leave Gus and Jenny out of it. I know I should have called, but I’m not even sure what she was talking about.” She says, sounding like she didn’t believe herself.

“Mel, if you want me to continue helping you, then you tell me whatever it is. If Lindsay’s doing anything that hurts my family, then you keeping silent doesn’t make you innocent.” I tell her.

“She didn’t finish whatever it was that she was saying. All she said was ‘if Justin wasn’t...’. I don’t even know what that means.” She tells me.

“I’ll be there in a hour, you make sure she doesn’t go anywhere until I get there.” I tell her hanging up.

“What?” Nick asks.

“If Lindsay has anything to do with this, then I’ll fucking destroy her.” I tell him, going upstairs to get dressed.

JUSTIN

“So why are we breaking and entering?” Daphne asks as she works on the lock.

“Because I’m hoping Mikey left a clue.” I tell her.

“I’m actually impressed that he managed to hide. Not that it changes that I want to kick his ass, but really, until now I thought he and the scarecrow had a lot in common.” She tells me.

“He has a brain. Only for years the only thought he’s had in it was his fantasy that Brian wanted his ass.” I tell her.

“Can you not say that, I’ve been having a hard time keeping anything down, and the idea of Michael and Brian together really isn’t helping.” She tells me as she gets the door open. “So why did you let me unlock the door? It’s not like you couldn’t.” She asks.

“Because you would have bitched if I told you to stay in the car. This way you’re really the one that broke while we entered.” I joke.

The house smelled like no one had cleaned it up after the fire, which was pretty much confined to the stove and counters. Apparently Deb hadn’t been here to take care of her baby. Michael’s computer was sitting in the living room, which, after booting it up and checking his history only told me that Michael was still intent on making Jenny’s college fund healthy. Daphne pushed the button on the answering machine and it had ten messages from Deb telling him to call her and then the voice I prayed I wouldn’t hear.

“Michael, call me. I have a better way then the idiotic plan you came up with.” 

“What the hell? I thought Lindsay and Michael hated each other.” Daphne tells me.

“They do, but when it comes to Brian, maybe it doesn’t matter.” I tell them.

“What do you think Michael had planned?” Daphne asks.

I didn’t answer because the front door was being unlocked. Daphne and I got up and went to the kitchen. We both went into the pantry, figuring no one was cooking since the kitchen was a mess. I looked through the crack in the door when someone walked in the kitchen.

“He’s not here.” Some older guy says on the phone. “Deb, I really only agreed to help because you were worried about Michael, but I can’t spend all day on this… I have patients who are waiting… I do care about Michael, but if he been talking about me like you said, why hasn’t he called? He’s always known my number… Yes, I know our problems were because of Brian… Deb, even if Brian no longer cares about Michael, it doesn’t mean he and I will pick up where we left off… I’m sure he told you I kicked him out, but it was more that he might have been in Portland with me but he spent all his time whining about what was happening in Pittsburgh and I got tired of hearing it, so I told him to go home if that’s where he wanted to be… Sorry but I have a child and didn’t plan on having to raise my partner like he was a child… I’m sorry, but what do I owe you? I offered Michael a life and he threw it away, not me, so I don’t see why you think I owe you or him anything.” He hung up as I could hear Deb still yelling at him.

“What the fuck am I even doing here?” He says, almost making me think he knew we were here.

The guy was about to leave when the front door opens again and the man of the hour was home.

“David? Why are you here?” Michael asks.

“Your mother called me. When she found out I was back, she told me what was going on with you. I’m sorry about your husband.” David tells Michael, not really sounding like he was that upset over it.

“It wasn’t like I expected him to be here for the rest of my life.” Michael tells him.

“Deb said you might need a friend. I know it’s not the same, but when my marriage ended, it still took a while for me to get over it.” He tells Michael. 

Daphne gave me the ‘what the fuck’ look. I hadn’t a clue why that would be something to compare to Ben’s death. Apparently Michael didn’t think so either.

“You fucking left your wife because you’re gay. Ben died, so it’s not the same. You’re still all about you.” Michael sneered.

“It’s just I understand and want to be there if you need a friend. From what Deb tells me, Brian isn’t being much of one.” He tells Michael.

“It’s not Brian, it’s the fucker he married. Brian was there for me, but the shit got jealous because Brian was finally seeing that he didn’t want the asshole.” Michael tells him.

“Why can’t you see that Brian isn’t going to be what you want. I could give you the life you always wanted.” David tells him.

“I don’t need or want you. Truthfully, you were fun, but only until I got what I wanted from Brian. Brian won’t need the whore now, since I can give him everything.” Michael tells him.

Daphne wrapped her arms around me, when I almost opened the door.

“You think he’s going to walk away from his husband and kids because you still believe he wants you? Do me a favor and tell your mother I don’t appreciate being lied to, and next time she should call someone else to look for you.” David tells him.

The front door slammed and Michael wandered around, playing his messages, deleting Deb’s as soon as he heard her voice. When Lindsay’s message came on he snorted, deleting hers too. 

“I don’t need you either.” Michael giggles before stomping up the stairs.

Daphne and I walked out but I couldn’t leave before figuring out what the hell Michael could be up to. His bag was sitting just outside the kitchen and I pulled it over and unzipped it. There was some paperwork on the top, and as I read it I wanted to march upstairs and toss his ass off the roof. I didn’t leave it behind, because that fucker was not going to get away with this. 

We were on our way to Mel’s before Daphne finally asked what it said.

“It’s a surrogacy agreement.” I tell her.

“He’s planning another kid?” She asks.

“According to this, yes, for him and Brian.” I tell her.

“WHAT? He thinks Brian would care that he went out and knocked up somebody? I mean Brian wanted you to be the father, but it doesn’t mean Brian would care if Michael had a kid.” She tells me.

“Brian would care if Michael knocked someone up with his sperm, which is what he apparently plans to do.” I tell her.

“Brian has control of it now, so it really wouldn’t be possible would it?” She tells me.

“Brian has control of what the clinic still had. We need to find out how many were there originally, and how many are missing. Which means we get to face our husbands.” I tell her, making her groan.