Deb helped Will clean out the store since Michael had left it the way it was when the riot tore it apart. Michael hadn’t even bothered to show up to help. She needed to talk to him, and the three days of cleaning up the mess gave her time to decide what to do. And it wasn’t to run the shop for Michael. But she didn’t want Will to be out of a job either. Emmett offered Will a job at Deb’s request and that made it easier for her to just hand Michael everything and hope for once her son would do what he should. Even if it was just wishful thinking on Deb's part.

They were taking out the last of the trash when Michael came in, irritated, not even noticing that everything was cleaned up. Deb didn’t let her feelings for her son get in the way. Instead, she listened and remembered what Brian had said to her.

“I have the money from the collectibles in an account for you. The store is clean and ready if you want to get it set up.” Deb told him, writing down the information Michael needed.

“At least I can buy back what I can find. I should call Brian to help me get everything I need for the shop.” Michael told her.

“I’m quitting,” Will told him.

“You can’t. I’ll even give you a raise since I won’t have time to help get the store ready. I have a feeling a friend is going to realize he needs me to be there for him.” Michael told him.

“I don’t want to work for you. And I doubt you’ll get enough customers anyway, after what happened the other night.” Will answered.

“I already made sure they knew it wasn’t us, but Justin,” Michael told him.

Deb chewed on her gum, not saying anything since nothing got through to Michael. She even put away the broom before she swatted Michael with it, and grabbed her bag to leave.

“I told people the truth. Justin Cole had never agreed to do anything. The kids needed to know that the author didn’t let them down, you did.” Will told Michael.

“Well, he could have made them happy by showing up like I wanted him to. But at least now he’s doing the right thing.” Michael said, smiling.

“Where have you been?” Deb asked since she knew Michael wouldn’t be smiling if he knew Brian was gone.

“I got some good news, so I wanted to make some plans. It’s why Will needs to stay, I’m going to be busy.” Michael said as if his demanding it would change Will’s mind about quitting on him.

“Sorry, but I agreed to start at my new job as soon as I finished helping Deb clean up this mess. Something you should have been doing, not her.” Will said, leaving and shaking his head.

The last couple of days had made Deb really take a look at her own son, and at the men that once helped her with Michael. She was seeing the differences that made them men, and her son still a child, wishing for things and not able to see the difference between reality and fantasy. With Brian out of Michael’s reach, she decided it was time for Michael to hear that his fantasy had left to live the life Michael ruined relationships over, wanting it with Brian.

“I can hire someone else then. I’m going to need time for other things than the shop anyway.” Michael said happily.

“He left Michael,” Deb announced.

“I know. I talked to him and told him he was wasting his time and to move on. While I take care of things the way Brian expects me to.” Michael told her.

“Was letting Lindsay tell you things about Brian one of the things Brian expected too?” Deb asked.

“What are you talking about?” Michael said, not looking at Deb.

“Look at me and tell me why you would have anything to do with Lindsay?” Deb asked.

“She called me... I didn’t go to her. She just told me about Justin and the kid. Brian never wanted to be a father.” Michael answered his mother.

“He must have changed his mind since he packed up and moved to be with GUS and Justin,” Deb told him.

“Shit. I need to talk to him. He did what he needed to do to get the kid… Gus. I planned to help him.” Michael told her proudly.

“Help him do what? Raise Gus? He doesn’t want your help. And it’s time you accept that he doesn’t want you either. What you want isn’t what he wanted. He isn’t going to love you the way you wish he would. He figured it out, now it’s time for you to do the same.” Deb told him.

“I have to stop him,” Michael said, running out of his shop.

Deb turned off the lights to the store, locked the door and left. She went home to wait for Michael to see that it was too late for him to stop Brian from moving on with his life. 

Michael got a cab and went straight to the loft. Someone was coming out the front door and let him in since they’d seen him come and go. He got to the loft door and banged on it, trying to open it when Brian didn’t answer. He slid to the floor, willing to wait for Brian to show up. Determined to stop Brian before he made the biggest mistake of their lives. 

Reese was on the phone talking to some of his guys when Emmett got the call from Deb, letting him know Michael was told about Brian and that he left. Most likely thinking he could stop Brian since he ran out as if the man was still around.

“You didn’t tell him Brian left days ago?” Emmett asked.

“I think Michael needs to see it to believe it,” Deb said, sounding worn out.

“Should I open the door? The loft being empty isn’t something he can explain away.” Emmett asked her.

“Michael?” Reese asked.

“Deb told him,” Emmett answered.

“You want me to go with you?” Reese asked.

“I think it might be better if Ted and Blake came with me. Michael isn’t going to listen to anything with you around.” Emmett told him. Kissing Reese as he called Teddy and Blake.

Ted and Blake were waiting when Emmett pulled up in front of the loft building. They all entered together and found Michael sitting in front of the door, watching them as they walked up the stairs. Michael was looking behind them as if Brian would be there if he looked anywhere but at the three of them. Blake walked over and pulled Michael up, shaking his head when Michael started to protest at moving.

“You are going to face this and stop living in the land of denial,” Blake told him as Emmett unlocked the loft door.

Blake let go of Michael and he rushed into the loft, only to stop and stare at the empty space. Normally Blake was the last one to have any sympathy where Michael was concerned, but seeing the lost look on his face wasn’t easy, even for Blake. The sympathy ended with the first words out of Michael’s mouth.

“Justin used the kid to make Brian do this. Ted, you get him on the phone and tell him he owes it to me to come back right now.” Michael demanded.

“You owe it to Brian to let him do what makes him happy. He spent his life doing it for all of us, now it’s his fucking turn Michael. He spent years looking for Gus, not saying anything to you because you wouldn’t have been sharing in Brian’s happiness to find Gus. Instead, you’d be telling him he shouldn’t be anyone's father. He included Emmett, Blake, and me, for one reason; we encouraged him, something his best friend couldn’t be depended on to do for him.” Ted said before Blake could say anything.

“He didn’t need to leave with Justin, he already had the… Gus.” Michael spit out, clearly annoyed. “I was going to show him, we could raise Gus together,” Michael told them.

“He is with the person he wants to raise his son with, and it’s not you. Michael, we want to help you.” Emmett said as Blake coughed, trying not laugh.

“Then make Brian talk to me. He doesn’t need Justin… when did they even have time to…”

 Michael stared at Ted and Emmett for answers.

“Maybe you need to think about that. It didn’t take Brian years to see what he was looking for, in Justin. Which means he knew years ago exactly what he saw when he looked at you.” Blake told him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin was trying not to laugh as the mothers all were waiting when Brian and Gus got to the park. Brian wanted to spend as much time as possible doing things Gus wanted to do before he had to start working. Cynthia stayed with them in Chicago, telling Brian she’d have the office finished faster if he stayed out of the way. Gus wanted to play soccer with Brian, so they were back at the park again, which thrilled the women from the day before, hoping for another glimpse of Brian’s abs. 

Justin didn’t let it worry him that Brian moved in with them and it felt like he belonged with them. The first morning it was strange to wake up in his bed with Brian wrapped around him, but only because he’d never slept with anyone in his bed. Mel called Brian earlier, letting him know that Lindsay had been served with the paperwork for the adoption, but so far hadn’t responded. She also turned over all the information she had about Lindsay, saying the Peterson’s weren’t going to be able to hide the things Lindsay was doing. They were now just waiting. But as Brian said, he and Justin weren’t going to put what they were doing on hold while they waited. 

It felt different for Brian, being in a town where his past wasn’t following him around every corner. He woke up for the last three days only being Gus’s Daddy and having the feeling of Justin in his arms. They spent part of each day at the park, and then the rest looking around the city together. It was different because for once, he didn’t have everyone calling him to handle everything for them. It felt like he’d found his home. 

Gus and the kids ran to get drinks. So Brian followed Gus and grabbed the water Justin was holding for him. He tried not to laugh too hard when Gus’s friend Robby repeated something he heard his mother say to the other mothers.

“My mommy says you hot, and shoulds take off your shirt,” Robby told him seriously, while Justin bit his lip to hold back his laugh.

“Are yous hot Daddy?” Gus asked.

Brian looked at Justin as his eyes sparkled with laughter. “I don’t know. What do you think Justin, am I hot?” Brian asked.

“My mommy says so, right Mr Justin?” Robby asked.

“If your mother says it, then yes, I guess he is hot,” Justin told Robby, looking Brian over from head to toe.

“Keep it up and I’m not responsible for what I do to you later,” Brian told the blond, leaning in and whispering it in his ear.