February 6 – 22 weeks

Brian stared at the house that had, at one time, been home to him and sighed. It hurt his heart that after today, he may or may not be welcome in it; it really could go either way. After all, Michael was Deb's biological son, and she had a nasty habit of siding with him no matter had badly he'd behaved. And Brian was likely about to end a nearly thirty-year friendship today; but one did what they must.

He hated to confront Michael at Deb's house of all places. It had been his sanctuary for many years. And Michael knew it; which is why the asshole had very cleverly taken to hiding here as often as possible; he likely thought that Brian wouldn't dare rip him a new asshole in his mother's house.

Mikey really should have known better; nothing, but nothing would stop him from this.

"You ready, sweetie?" Emmett asked from the passenger seat, his eyes coolly trained on the house in front of them; he, thankfully, hadn't commented on them sitting outside it for the last several minutes as Brian put his thoughts together.

"Is anyone ever really ready for this, Em?" Brian huffed, a bitter note in his voice.

"I guess not," Emmett said noncommittally; he turned to Brian and arched a brow, taunting Brian just enough to raise his hackles. "Having second thoughts?"

"Oh, hell no," Brian hissed, glaring at a smirking Emmett. And he really wasn't; even now, his blood boiled every time he recalled Michael telling Justin that he was a danger to him; that he should have been...well, we all know what Mikey thought Justin should have been. Gritting his teeth, rage flooded his system; he really should have hit the asshole a lot harder that day. Maybe then he would have caught a clue.

"Not one bit" Brian confirmed with a grim smile; Michael was about to get a reckoning. "This has been a long time in the making." Brian paused, a small sad smile touching his lips. "I just wish I could believe that Deb won't hold a grudge or find a way to blame me for…whatever. Unfortunately, prior experience speaks otherwise."

Emmett sobered and smiled sympathetically; something that Brian ignored. He didn't need nor want anyone's pity.

"No matter what happens," Emmett said, patting him awkwardly on the back. "Just know that the majority of us – Jen, Daphne, Drew, Ted, Blake, Mel, Carl, and myself – we are all on your side, sweetie. Eventually she'll come around. She always does. If not in her own time, then you have a bitchy, little blond that would be more than happy to verbally smack some sense into her."

Brian couldn't help but smile a little at that because it was absolutely true; look at what the brat had done when he and Mikey weren't...speaking. He sobered at that thought; maybe it would have been better if he hadn't. Justin certainly would have been much better off without Michael's presence in their lives.

"The little twat does have a way of shutting people down," Brian agreed, his mouth twisting into a faint smirk; and then he turned back to the house, his eyes narrowing a tad as he noticed the curtains in the living room flutter; as if someone had been watching them.

And likely they were; his best guess would be Mikey since neither Deb nor Carl came to the door to greet them. And that just enraged him further. Fucking, little coward; hiding behind mommy's apron because he didn't have the fucking balls to face up to what he'd done. That one small action cemented how things were going to go in this meeting.

Had Mikey come to the door and taken his punishment like a man, Brian would have felt like there was still a sliver of hope left for their friendship. But by taking the coward's way out, he'd just proven he was not the man Brian had once thought he was; and he couldn't respect a man that couldn't admit when he was wrong.

Inhaling deeply, Brian opened his door and climbed out, barely aware of Emmett doing the same. He forcefully shut the door and then looked to the right; he shared a grim smile with Emmett and headed for the door. Quickly crossing the yard, Brian climbed the stairs with Emmett following in his wake. Reaching for the doorknob, he didn't even bother to knock as he didn't want to announce his presence. He just strode into the living room, a cold smile curling on his lips as he noticed Mikey shoving something into a bag at his feet, babbling to Deb all the while.

"Going somewhere?" Brian asked in a deceptively soft tone; one that he knew would throw the others off, but knew that Michael would recognize since he'd herd it numerous times when Brian had defended him from bullies. Michael's head popped up and he paled, his fingers falling useless against the bag. "Well, this won't take long."

"Brian…" Michael began weakly; likely about to begin his litany of reasons of why he wasn't really to blame – he wasn't feeling well, he was just worried and overreacted, he'd heard that Justin was acting oddly, the moon was full, they didn't have his favorite cheese in the store, he stubbed his toe this morning.

It really didn't matter what the fucking reason was; Brian couldn't give even one fuck about his explanations; there was nothing that Michael could say to excuse his behavior. And Brian was beyond sick of Michael's attitude and he wasn't going to tolerate it anymore.

"You with me," Brian hissed stalking over to Michael; he grabbed the other man by the arm and yanked him out of his seat, dragging him across the room when Michael didn't react fast enough. "Now, Michael!"

"What's going on?" Deb cried, getting up from her seat; but Brian didn't even bother to look back as he forcefully led Michael on a path through the living, into the kitchen, and out the back door.

There was no need to. He didn't need to look to know what their reactions would be. Deb would be standing there, hands on her hips, an indignant expression on her face because God fucking forbid someone other than she chastises her baby. And as for Ben, he'd just be sitting there stunned, like the useless, weak, fucking enabling asshole that he was, trying to figure out whether or not he should get involved.

It was beyond pathetic.

"Deb, Ben, I love you; but, butt the fuck out," Brian threw over his shoulder as he opened the back door and shoved Michael through it. He held up a single finger and pointed between his chest and Michael. "This is between me and him."

"Now listen here you little shit…" Deb started as she made her way toward the back door, only to be intercepted from her righteous path as Emmett came out of no where and blocked her. And that would be exactly why Brian brought him. Queen that he may be, Emmett knew how to hold his own against Deb and would watch his back.

"Deb!" Emmett growled, startling her long enough that he had a chance to shut and lock the door. "For fucks sake, leave it be! He is fully justified in his anger at Michael. And before you ask; no, I will not be telling you why, as it is none of your business! Now sit down and shut up!"

Brian smirked; if he hadn't been so pissed at Michael's actions, he would have laughed at Deb's shrill, indignant squawk filling the air, followed by the low, soothing tones of Ben trying to placate her. It was fucking pathetic just how predictable they could be. But as it was, he had a bigger fish to fry.

Brian clambered off the porch and down the stairs, Michael whining in his wake. He rolled his eyes, and grit his teeth against the urge to stop the whining with his fist. Entering the small yard, Brian shoved Michael firmly away from him, not caring that Michael stumbled a little. As it was, his breath was coming in shallow pants and he was so close to losing it, he needed to get Michael away from him.

"Ow!" Michael whined, rubbing his arm in an effort to draw sympathy; but it didn't work this time, as Brian was, to steal a phrase from Justin, on to him and his manipulative behavior. "Brian!"

"Shut up!" Brian commanded, his eyes practically spitting fire. "I have something to say to you; and for once in your godforsaken life you are going to keep that nasty mouth of yours closed and listen. Or I promise that I will take great joy in tying your ass down into a chair and gagging you. And trust me, you won't enjoy it."

Michael fell silent at those words, his eyes going wide and wounded, like a fucking puppy; but Brian wasn't buying it anymore. Not after what he'd seen in the past month. The wool had been firmly pulled from his eyes, shredded up and burnt to fucking ashes. There was no way Michael's little manipulations were going to get to him.

Pacing the length of the tiny yard, Brian studied Michael quietly, noting several things he'd been blind to for so many years – the slight bitter twist to his mouth, the spiteful crinkle of his nose and the calculating glint lying just behind that wounded gaze. It sickened him that he'd fallen for it so many times; and he couldn't believe that he had as he stared at this man – someone he'd once considered a lifelong friend. He also couldn't hold back the utter disappointment and disgust at himself from welling up in his throat like bile.

And that only made Brian's fury burn that much hotter and brighter; fucking little shit.

"I would hit you right now," Brian said in a carefully controlled voice, that still trembled with fury around the edges; he was careful to keep a couple of arms lengths between the two of them. He didn't trust his ability to hold back if Michael were within range. "But I'm afraid that if I start, I will never stop. And that…that doesn't make me feel very good, Michael. I have tried very hard NOT to be my father; and the fact that you have made me so furious that I'm contemplating physical violence makes me sick to my stomach."

Michael's eyes bugged out at that announcement, and for the first time he looked uncertain. Good. He hoped that the little asshole wallowed in it; he hoped that that it ate him up inside, just like the fear and stress ate at Justin when the little bastard attacked him the other day.

"Tell me, Michael," Brian said in a faux conversational tone, his eyes growing dark and flinty as he stared at his former friend. "Where in your pea-sized brain did you think it was it was okay to get a pregnant man so upset that he had to be rushed to, and admitted into, the fucking hospital because his blood pressure spiked?"

Michael swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple visibly bobbing from where Brian stood; Brian circled the other man with a sneer on his face, looking very much like a shark waiting to attack. And really, he was. He was this close to saying screw his principles and just wailing on the nasty little brat. And really, the only thing that stopped him was the fact that Justin needed him at the house, not in a jail cell. Brian arched his brow, and gestured with his arms and hands as if to say, 'well, hit me with your excuses, fucker.' But Michael just looked at the ground and remained silent.

Yeah, he didn't think the asshole would say anything.

"Tell me why," Brian continued in a mocking tone, smirking when Michael bristled at it. Come on fucker. Just one word; just say one word and give me an excuse to pound your useless ass into the ground.

"Tell me why I was sitting at my stressed-out, anxious husband's bedside, listening to our doctors say things like 'his blood pressure is far higher than we like it to be;' and that 'if it remains high, it could potentially lead to low birth weight or an early delivery;' or that 'it could harm the carrier's kidneys or other organs;' or my favorite, that it 'causes decreased blood flow to the placenta and potential placental abruption.'"

Michael turned white and then red; and took a halting step away from Brian, obviously wanting to put even more distance between them. But Brian could have told him that it was useless. If he'd really wanted to, nothing would have stopped him from getting his hands on the little bastard.

"Why was I sitting there comforting my husband," Brian asked, his voice growing steely as he stalked forward; blood rushed through his ears and his hands clenched into fists as Michael scrambled backwards. Not that it did any good as Brian caught up to him with two strides. He grabbed Michael by the collar and spat.

"Trying to soothe his anxiety so that his blood pressure didn't continue to rise; hoping, and praying to a God that I don't even believe in, that everything will be okay. Why was I holding his shaking body in my arms as he cried at the thought of our Sunbeam being born far too early, or even a potentially dying, leading to a stillborn birth!?"

Michael shook his head in denial, but Brian didn't want to hear it. He didn't care if Michael hadn't realized that his actions could have such serious consequences. The fact of the matter was that he knew that it could be detrimental in other ways. He knew that Justin's anxiety levels were often higher than most peoples due to his anxiety disorder. He knew that his actions could trigger a panic attack; and he knew that even something that small could have an adverse reaction to Justin and the baby.

And he did it anyway.

Brian wasn't feeling merciful for that reason alone.

"I'll tell you why," Brian hissed, shoving Michael away from him;he watched as Michael barely caught himself in time to keep from falling on his ass. Too bad. "Because you're a jealous, spiteful, little viper that eavesdropped on a phone conversation that had nothing to do with you and was none of your fucking business. And then, rather than using your few functioning brain cells to realize that letting sensitive information out was a bad idea, you used it to confront Justin in the middle of a fucking restaurant! Spewing your bile and venom for all to hear, including, potentially, the person that had perpetuated the crime in the first place! And then, rather than be a decent person, you blame my husband, triggering an anxiety attack. Because now, thanks to you, he's worried that I'm going to be killed. Did you not learn from the last time you confronted him?"

"You heard about…" Michael started and then cut himself off as Brian swung his head and stared at him incredulously.

Michael's eyes widened until the whites were showing, fear filling them as he realized that hadn't been his wisest move. Brian laughed humorously at his reaction. Really? Out of all the things he had said, that was what he latched onto? Un-fucking-believable.

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that," Brian nodded, his lips compressing in thin line as Michael winced. "I even got to see your charming behavior on a YouTube video."

Michael turned even redder if it were at all possible.

"I'm sure you're very familiar with it. It showed the world what an incredible ass you can be when things don't go your way."

Michael opened his mouth to protest, but quickly snapped it shut once more as Brian threw him a filthy look; one that just dared Michael to give him a reason to shut it for him.

"Don't think for one minute that I didn't realize that this video was the reason behind your so-called illness," Brian smiled coldly, cracking his knuckles for effect. "Sadly, I also know that it had nothing to do with you feeling ashamed of your behavior, which you really should be; but that it was because you were embarrassed at being caught and hiding because you knew I'd take a strip out of your ass once I found out."

Michael flushed and looked away, not able deny any of Brian's words.

"So, what was it, Mikey?" Brian mocked, carefully placing his hands in his pockets as he walked up to Michael and got into his face. "You had a bad day and decided that Justin was an easy target? You were jealous that Justin has the ability to carry our child while you can't, and he made the perfect punching bag?"

Brian smirked as something flickered in Michael's eyes as he said those last words. Bingo. He supposed that he should feel some stirring of sympathy for his former friend; it must be tough having to live with Ben's illness and realizing there were things you can never do as a couple as a result. And maybe he would have if Michael hadn't gone after Justin so viciously. Once he had though, Brian lost all sympathy for the other man.

"Ah, so I hit the nail on the head, did I?" Brian drawled, a cruel smile twisting his face. He ignored the pain that flashed over Michael's face. Michael hadn't cared about what he did to Justin, so why the hell should he? "You're pissed because you can never have raw sex with your husband and carry his child. And instead of dealing with it like a man, you've reverted to acting like petulant teenager lashing out at the world; or the most viable target. Did it make you feel better, Mikey? Were you hoping that he'd lose it?"

Michael's head snapped up, his eyes wide, mouth agape and seemed completely stunned that Brian would ever say that to him. That Brian would accuse him of doing something like that. But really, what was he supposed to think? Michael had become a rampaging nightmare from the moment that he and Justin had announced their pregnancy. And as sad as it was to say, he could very well believe it of Michael; even if it had only been on a subconscious level.

"Because that could still happen," Brian said, his voice gone hoarse as he thought of Justin, sitting at home on bed rest for the next two days in the hope that being in a calm, quiet, familiar environment would bring his blood pressure down to his normal level.

"He isn't out of danger yet. He could still go into labor; and having the baby at this stage could mean a death sentence for Sunbeam. Only about 20-35 percent of babies survive if they are born this early. And let me tell you, Michael; if that happens, there is no place you can hide where I won't find you. You better pray that I'm feeling merciful then; because if I'm not... Although, the likelihood of my being merciful would be slim to nil at that point, so I suppose that's moot."

Michael looked away, and for a moment, Brian thought he might actually look ashamed of his actions; but then Brian remembered how many times Michael had done something similar and then 'apologized,' only turn right back around and go back to the same damned behaviors. There is a reason that 'sorry is bullshit' had become one of Brian's mottos. Michael had taught him that lesson to him a long time ago.

Michael looked at his hands and mumbled something.

"What was that?" Brian asked, dying to know what little piece of wisdom Mikey was trying to impart now; or more likely, what excuse he was offering up now.

"I said I was sorry," Michael said a bit tersely; and really, if you're going to fucking apologize, at least have the grace to pretend like you mean it. Don't act like a petulant child being forced to say the words.

Brian stared at Michael for a long moment, wondering when he'd become this person in front of him – spiteful, mean, and bitter; a man that thought that nothing more than a few token words and a fake smile would heal the wounds he'd created.

Had he always been this person, and Brian had just ignored it because he was scared that he'd lose the only family that he'd ever known? Was he only willing to see it now because Justin had come into his life and bought with him Jen and Molly and Tucker and Daphne and a wealth of other people that made up his new family?

He didn't know, but it ended here; it ended today.

"Sorry, doesn't cut it, Michael," Brian said, exhaustion washing over him as he stared at his long-time friend; especially when Michael's mouth gaped again. Brian gave a mirthless laugh. "Oh yeah; that wasn't what you expected to hear, was it? You were expecting me to say 'sorry is bullshit' and reassure you that everything would be fine in the end, weren't you?"

Brian shook his head as the look on Michael's face confirmed his suspicions.

"Not gonna happen," Brian said firmly, almost laughing when Michael's eyes bulged again. "Not now, not ever. You are lucky you are even standing at this point; because I am so close to ending you that I can barely stand to be in the same room as you. In fact, the only reason that you are is that I still respect and love your mother and wouldn't want to cause her undue pain by murdering hder only child. Because let me tell you, it is so tempting right now."

Michael stared at him in disbelief and opened his mouth, but Brian held up a hand to ward him off because he really didn't trust himself to not give him the beating Michael so richly deserved. And he was terrified at the thought that if he started, he really wouldn't stop until Michael was no longer moving.

"Not to mention that I would be little good to Justin if I was in a jail cell. Now, I need to go back home and make sure that my husband and our child isn't going to be in danger because of your thoughtless actions."

Brian stared at Michael, and watched as the walls started to build right before his eyes; watched as Michael started rewriting the script in his head to go in his favor and Brian just shook his head at Michael's complete lack of remorse.

"But, before I go, I will tell you this," Brian said, wanting to make his position very clear. And there was only one way he knew to do it where Michael would believe it without question. "And this is a promise from me to you, Michael; and you know I never go back on my promises."

Michael swallowed thickly, his eyes welling up as Brian stared at him with no little amount of distrust, disgust and keen disappointment.

"If you so much as breathe on Justin wrong over the next few months, there will be no end to the pain I will cause you. You will be done. Do you hear me? I have put up with this bullshit for years because I know that Justin can take care of himself; he doesn't need me to fight his battles. But that ends right here, right now. Because right now, he is taking care of himself and my unborn child; and that comes first and foremost. Anything else, anyone else that causes him even a hint of stress or pain will have to come through me first. And you don't want to be on that list. Stay the fuck away from me, and my husband; you aren't welcome any longer."

Brian spun on his heel and walked back towards the house. Michael made a distressed noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob, but it didn't melt Brian's heart one bit. All he had to do was visualize Justin lying in a hospital bed, crying his eyes out as the doctors told him that unless they got his blood pressure under control, the baby would be in danger since he couldn't take most of the meds available. He was allergic to them. That single thought had chilled Brian to the bone and hardened him against any small stray strand of sympathy that he might have felt for his former friend.

"Oh, and Michael," Brian said as he opened the door, casting one last hard look his way. "If I find out that you have had anything to do with this asshole getting the code to the loft, running won't be an option. You will be dead."