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Brian left after Gus went to sleep. Justin told him he needed to spend some time with Gus alone. Brian didn’t want Gus to get confused, so they’d agreed they weren’t going to tell Gus anything until the test proved or disproved that Brian was Gus’s father. Even with Justin agreeing to include Brian, he was still being careful of Justin’s feelings, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy for either of them. Brian suggested they tell Jen the truth. He didn’t like the idea of lying to Jen because he respected her. He saw how she was with Molly, and knew that she'd be an ally if problems arose later. He thought including her would help both Justin and Jen, especially if things worked out with Justin.  

 

Justin was trying to be understanding for both Brian and Gus, but there was still a part of him that wished he’d never said Lynn’s name. Brian wasn’t asking for anything but to be included in their life, but Justin couldn’t help how he felt. He hadn’t said anything to Daphne, but he didn’t plan to keep it from her. Even with years of separation, Justin knew Daphne stood by him and would do the same for Gus. And would be there if he needed someone to screw his head on straight. Which he needed after he and Brian picked up Gus. The reality hit Justin hard. He was going to be sharing Gus’s life with his real father; Gus was no longer going to be just his. Justin tried to mask his feelings, not wanting to hurt Brian, since all he wanted to do was go back and say no to Pittsburgh. Nothing Brian did should have made him feel that way, but he couldn’t help it. Even when he knew how selfish it was, especially since Brian made it clear he didn’t plan to separate him and Gus.

 

“Want to tell me what’s going on in your head? You’ve been out of it all night.” Daphne asked, dragging Justin away from watching Gus.

 

“I should have never come here. It’s like Pittsburgh is cursed.” Justin told her.

 

“Is this about Brian?” She asked.

 

“He might be Gus’s real father.” Justin blurted out.

 

“They kind of look alike, but where did that come from?” Daphne asked him.

 

“You think they look alike?” Justin asked, seeing it now.

 

“It was just something I thought when Brian was holding Gus, and when he approached me at the convention. I didn’t think much about it, and dismissed it after.” Daphne told him.

 

“I can see it now, after what Brian showed me,” Justin told her.

 

“Are you going to tell me what led to you thinking Brian could be his father, and before you go on, remember you’re his father in every way.” She told him.

 

“Gus told me Brian had a picture of him, and a friend of Brian’s had been asking questions at lunch that I didn’t really think much about. But combining the two, it made me go ask Brian why he had a picture of Gus. He showed me a picture of Lynn Peters, whose real name is Lindsay Peterson.” Justin told her.

 

“I’m lost. So Brian knows Gus’s mother, how does it make him Gus’s father?” Daphne asked.

 

“Lindsay ran off after telling Brian she was pregnant with his baby. Add that to the fact that the picture Brian had wasn’t of Gus, but of Brian at the same age. If I didn’t know it was Brian, I’d have believed it was Gus. Is it horrible of me to wish Lindsay lied to Brian about being pregnant?” Justin asked.

 

“What does he plan to do if Gus is his?” Daphne asked.

 

“He said we’d raise Gus together. Only right now he wants to be careful about one of his friend’s seeing Gus. It's just, what happens if Brian and I decide against being in a relationship? I don’t really know him, but for some reason, I feel like I can trust him. Yet, what do we have in common, enough to think we could build a relationship on?” He asked her. 

 

“You don’t know yet, but take a leap of faith. He could have lied to you until he got what he needed to prove Gus was his and then just taken him away from you.” She told him. 

 

“The friend was looking into it for him. He's been trying to find his child for years.” Justin told her. 

 

“Which, if you'd look at it from his side, you'd realize that until he knew there was a reason to believe Gus was his, telling you wasn’t going to do anything but possibly make you leave with Gus. I could understand him wanting to wait before he turned your world upside-down.” She told him. 

 

“How do I explain this to Gus?” Justin asked. 

 

*********************************

 

Brian got to the loft and saw Deb waiting at the door. He really didn’t need her souring his mood, which wasn't going to matter to her. She walked right in and sat down, waiting for him. Brian went to get a drink, but switched to water, since he planned on seeing Gus when he woke up in the morning.

 

“I'm not here to give you shit about Michael.” She told him. 

 

Brian ended up choking when the water when it went down the wrong way. Since when did Deb not beat him over the head with Michael?

 

When he could talk, he trod carefully. “So then why show up this late?” He asked.

 

“I just got off working a late shift, after spending the morning helping the kid Michael hired to run his shop. Apparently, after talking to Will, I felt like I owed you an apology for not seeing what you were trying to tell me. Let's face it when it comes to Michael I always want to believe it couldn't be his fault.” Deb tells him. 

 

“I don't need an apology. Just for you to understand that it's time to let Michael figure things out on his own. I can’t be the answer every time he screws up. It's why I didn’t show up at dinner.” Brian told her, sad that he couldn’t tell her about Gus and Justin yet.

 

“I could use a little help. I'm not asking for money, but to get Ted to look at Michael’s books. Give me a clue about how to help him. I’m not expecting Ted to do anything else.” She asked him. 

 

“Michael refused to show them to Ted,” Brian answered her. 

 

“Then he shouldn’t leave them in an unlocked drawer,” Deb commented, pulling out a messy file and book from her tote.

 

Brian took them from her, worried about what else they would find in them. He wanted to warn Deb, but bringing up anything until he knew for sure might have her protecting Michael, regardless of what he did.

 

“It could take a few days. What are you going to tell Michael if he notices this missing?” Brian asked. 

 

“I doubt he will since he told Will he wouldn't be in until Friday, because of some big thing he's planning.” She told him. 

 

“What's he planning?” Brian asked, already knowing.

 

“That thing with the author he said you were helping him with,” Deb told him.

 

“Only I wasn’t with the author because of Michael. He’s posting flyers about an event without doing what he needs to do in order for the author to agree to it. I never once told him that was what I was doing.” Brian told her, hoping she’ll get it through Michael’s head.

 

“What the hell gave him the idea it was a done deal?” Deb asked, trying not to make Brian think she was blaming him.

 

“He was here watching the loft and saw us going somewhere. I was just showing the guy around.” Brian told her.

 

“This is going to be a disaster. There are tons of kids coming in, excited the guy was coming to the shop.” Deb said, worried.

 

“There’s nothing we can do. The guy doesn’t just do signings without it going through his publisher, which Mikey didn’t do. He just hung flyers, thinking once again I’d save the day.” Brian told her.

 

“Or that I would guilt you into doing it, something I won’t do. Believe it or not, I heard what Emmett said, and doing that to you was wrong of me. I hate that those kids were so excited, but for once Michael will get what he deserves. Let me know what Ted tells you.” Deb asked him, getting up and leaving.

 

Brian called Ted and Reese over, wanting to at least see if there was anything that pointed to Michael. Ted came in, looking in horror at how Mikey kept his books. Reese told Ted to look for transactions where the amounts were unreasonable for the normal running of the shop. 

 

“I’ve been doing this for a while.” Ted reminded him.

 

“We’re trying to connect transfers to the places Lindsay went,” Reese told him.

 

“Why would Michael give her money? His biggest complaint was that she was trying to bleed Brian dry with the kid.” Ted asked.

 

“It’s just a theory I have. Michael wanted Lindsay gone, but would also want to know she stayed away. Michael doesn’t like the idea that she could work her way back into Brian’s life since he wants to be Brian’s life.” Reese answered.

 

“You know him well,” Ted told him.

 

“Not really. Mel had a lot to say about the two of them. She wasn’t happy about Lindsay being brought up but was more than happy to tell me why Brian deserved whatever he got from either of them. Although she did say you never gave either of them a reason to think you wanted anything from them. Which I could tell was hard for her to admit to me.” Reese told them.

 

“I tried to get Mel to call Lindsay, but she said she was done letting Lindsay screw up her life,” Ted told them.

 

“Why did you want Mel to call Lindsay?” Brian asked.

 

“To help you find the baby. But you know Mel’s opinion of you being a father. She refused to get involved, saying her life was finally happy and Lindsay was a chapter that was over for her.” Ted told Brian.

 

Ted got to work, separating the receipts and comparing them to what he was seeing. An hour later he pushed them away, handing Brian his notes for Deb. Ted noted some purchases that were larger than normal, but Ted honestly didn’t know if comic memorabilia went for as much as some of the purchases.

 

“There are a lot of transactions, but most of them are for purchases of memorabilia, expensive shit, but we’d need someone who knows what the stuff goes for to know if it’s something to look at. They were all purchased through private sites.” Ted told them.

 

“I like comics, but not enough that I would know if the amounts are exorbitant,” Reese told them.

 

Brian called Justin to ask if he knew someone who could tell them if the purchases would be normal considering the item. Justin didn’t hesitate to share what he knew after Brian explained why he needed to know.

 

“Depends on if the item is hard to find. Also, what condition it’s in, if the author signed it, those kinds of things. There are originals out there that go for amounts antiques go for. With Rage, the comic is too new and collectors aren’t looking at them because they aren’t rare. But the items you’re talking about are older and harder to find, so yes, he could be paying that much for them. It’s just, in order to get those, he would have to go to a private collector, because they are rare in the comic industry and usually only get sold if the collector is no longer interested in them, or if they found a better copy of them.” Justin told him.

 

“Would anyone know who would have the items?” Reese asked.

 

“Most collectors are willing to show what they have and where they found the items, but not all of them would. If he’s big on bragging, some of those items would be something to show off.” Justin told them.

 

“He hasn’t said anything to me, but he also knows it would piss me off since he keeps asking Brian for money,” Ted told them.

 

“If we could find out whether he really bought the items or not, we could also narrow down if the collector really exists. As if we’re looking at multiple sellers.” Reese told them.

 

“Anybody could set up a site. I’ve done it a few times, using a different name just to get real reactions to what I’m putting out.” Justin told them.

 

“There would also be the problem of locating the money. A site isn’t an address for the person, and in most cases, the money is either charged or sent to whatever address or bank the seller tells them. Most of the purchases don’t really say how he purchased them, which won’t matter unless Michael tries to put them down as a business expense.” Ted told them.

 

“Ted, I don’t care if the IRS goes after Mikey. What I want to know is if he fucked me over, and how he did it.” Brian told him.

 

“If you can send me some of the information, I can have my publisher see what she can find out. She knows a lot of the collectors because they understand what works in comics and what doesn’t.” Justin offered.

 

“I’ll have Reese send them to you, give Gus a kiss and call if you need anything,” Brian told him, hanging up.

 

Ted tried to hide the surprise that Brian actually sounded concerned about Justin. It wasn’t that he couldn’t believe Brian would care about anyone, just that he didn’t normally show it.

 

“Is this about finding Lindsay or the baby?” Ted asked.

 

Brian silently debated what to tell Ted, but in the end knew he would take his secret to the grave, without Brian having to tell him.

 

“I’m pretty sure that Justin’s son is mine,” Brian told Ted.

 

“How?” Ted asked, not wanting this to become another disappointment for Brian if it wasn’t true.

 

“Justin told me the name of Gus’s mother, Lynn Peters. When I showed him the photo of Lindsay, he told me it was Lynn. It gave us a starting point to where she went.” Brian told him.

 

“Why did Justin pretend he was the father?” Ted asked.

 

“Justin IS Gus’s father. Something I don’t intend to change. He’s willing to work with me, and I don’t want anyone making him think I would do anything to change that. He will always be Gus’s father. He’s trying to accept that I want to share Gus with him, which is why I don’t want Mikey anywhere near him. It’s also why I told you to look into opening Kinnetik Chicago. Because being with Gus and Justin is all that matters to me right now. I don’t care where Lindsay is anymore. Because my son, the reason I was looking for her, is being loved by Justin.” Brian said, to both Ted and Reese.

 

“I’m going to suggest we find her, and I can have someone track her. If she stops running away from you, but towards you, it’s better to know.” Reese warned Brian.

 

“I need to find someone who could look into the legal aspects of this. If Lindsay does show up I don’t want her to be able to take Gus from Justin.” Brian told him.

 

“I hate to bring this up, but Mel is the expert on family law,” Ted told Brian.

 

“And I’m the man she pretty much would screw if she could,” Brian answered.

 

“I know you two have issues with each other, but she’s always been honest when it comes to her job. Let me approach her with the situation and see what she thinks your best course of action is. I won’t tell her it’s for you.” Ted told him.

 

Brian agreed and gave Ted what he knew about how Justin ended up with Gus; Lindsay leaving without ever contacting Justin again; and Justin going to court to get custody, sighting abandonment.

 

 

The next day Brian called Ted, telling him Justin wanted to come with him to find out what Mel had to say. Ted picked up Justin after calling Mel to see if she could fit them in. Justin still didn’t understand why Brian thought Lynn… Lindsay would show back up. But Brian knew her better than Justin, and Justin was willing to believe him.

 

 

Mel was happy to see Ted. With her new job, she’d been busy and not had a lot of time for anyone. They’d maintained their friendship, not always agreeing on Brian. There was a time when Ted agreed with Mel, that a lot of her and Lindsay’s problems centered around Lindsay’s dependence on Brian. Only, Ted would point out that it was Lindsay who put that problem in their relationship, by shoving Brian in Mel’s face. 

 

“Hey, how’s Blake doing?” Mel asked, glad to see Ted happy with Blake.

 

“He’s great and wanted to get together with you for dinner sometime. This is Justin, the one who wanted to ask you about something.” Ted told her, trying to figure out how to bring up what Brian needed to know.

 

“Ask, and I’ll help you if I can,” Mel told him.

 

“My son’s mother left him with me, but I’m not the biological father. I went to court to gain sole custody but recently ran into someone who is likely the biological father. Which we plan to prove one way or the other. What I need to know is- what happens if she shows up and doesn’t agree with us raising my… our son together?” Justin asked.

 

“She could overturn your custody since you aren’t the real father,” Mel told Justin.

 

“She abandoned him when he was one, it’s been three years and she’s never once bothered to contact me,” Justin told her.

 

“Is there a reason you think she might show up?” Mel asked.

 

“No, but it’s more wanting to be ready if she does,” Ted told her.

 

“Did she convince you that you were the father?” Mel asked Justin.

 

“She wouldn’t have had any way to convince me, we never slept together. She just put my name on the birth certificate, and since he’d been with me pretty much his whole life, it didn’t matter to me that he wasn’t mine, because he was to me.” Justin told her.

 

“The real father is willing to let you stay in the child’s life?” Mel asked.

 

“He wants us to raise the child together. We haven’t known each other long, but we’re also involved with each other, as more than two fathers.” Justin told her.

 

“When he proves he’s the father, he could take the child from you. Biology matters in most cases. This is going to take a lot of trust on your part. Once he proves he’s the father, you sign over your custody to him. He can then allow you to adopt the child. Only, understand the mother is given the opportunity to contest it. You said she hasn’t contacted you in three years, do you know where she is?” Mel asked.

 

“She didn’t even tell me her real name, and I stayed where she could find us for a year before moving, but we still live in the same city. I have no clue where she is since I didn’t actually know who she was until recently. The real father hasn’t been able to find her either.” He told her.

 

“Once he’s given custody, then you file to adopt the child. You’ll only be required to put an ad in the papers, giving her the chance to know what’s happening. If she doesn’t show up within the ninety days, then the court assumes she didn’t object to the adoption taking place. After that, if she shows up, it won’t matter. If you want, I can prepare the paperwork, so it’s ready when you need it.” Mel told him.

 

“I’ll talk to the father, thanks,” Justin told her.

 

“Just let me know, and good luck,” Mel told him.

 

Ted and Justin were on their way back to Brian and Gus before Justin spoke again.

 

“I'm giving him the power to take Gus from me,” Justin told Ted. 

 

“He doesn’t want that. You need to understand that what you did for Gus by loving him, only makes Brian want you to always be there for Gus. He pretty much made that clear to Reese and me.” Ted told him. 

 

“I don’t know him the way you do,” Justin told him. Trying to explain why he was still having a hard time with what Mel told him.

 

“Let me put it this way. If I was in your situation with Brian, he would be the first person I would trust with the child I loved. He’s never made a promise or told anyone he would do something and not done exactly what he said he would. Also, in your case it’s different, Brian doesn’t just want Gus, but you too.” Ted told him.

 

“That could change, we barely know each other,” Justin told him.

 

“Which makes the fact that he worries about how you’re dealing with the changes that are going to happen, mean more than you know. Brian has never really wanted to pursue anyone more than once, and normally moves on. He’s spent every day since you guys met trying to see you, even before he knew that Gus might be his child.” Ted told him, wanting to assure him.

 

“Daphne told me it was a leap of faith,” Justin told him.

 

“No, it’s a leap where Brian will do anything to make sure you and Gus land safely,” Ted told him.

 

 

 

 

 

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