Justin agreed to meet Brian at his loft since the plan was to spend most of the day out together. How that happened, Justin couldn’t figure out. Justin thought they would meet and spend a couple of hours together, but Brian managed to get him to agree to not only the park but to come to his loft afterward since his friends planned to spend the evening having dinner together. Brian told Justin it would give him a few more friends when he came to visit, then told him to bring Daphne too. 

As they did before any outing, they went to the store to pick up drinks and snacks. Justin reminded Gus they were going to lunch, so they didn’t need to bring the whole snack aisle. Gus took his time determining what was a must for him to share with Dada and Brian. Gus liked Dada’s new friend and wanted to show him how much by picking something that he could give to Brian. Justin kept from laughing at Gus’s concern that Brian got his favorite snack too since they didn’t have a clue what was Brian’s favorite snack. He called Brian to explain the dilemma his son was having in the snack aisle. 

“Why is he getting me something?” Brian asked.

“I told him once that he should share with the others he plays with, he took it seriously and made me make a list so they would have their favorite items. He didn’t want you to feel left out.” Justin told him.

“What’s he getting?” Brian asked.

“He got a couple of apples and a fruit cup for himself but insisted we get snacks for you as we do for the friends he normally plays with,” Justin told him.

“I’d rather have what he’s having. Are you guys coming over when you’re done?” Brian asked, trying not to sound like he’d been sitting around waiting for them.

“We should be there in fifteen minutes, now that I can tell him to just get you what he got,” Justin told him, hanging up.

Gus ran to get two of everything, with Justin trailing behind him. He wasn’t really paying attention to anyone but his son running ahead of him and ended up bumping into a guy loaded down with chips and soda.

“Watch where you're going.” The guy snapped.

“Sorry, I was making sure my son didn’t disappear,” Justin told him, catching Gus and walking away.

Michael was already in a bad mood after Brian acted like an asshole last night. It didn’t help that when he showed up at the diner for breakfast, none of his friends were there. Then his mother barely let him sit down before chewing his ass about what Emmett told her. She wouldn’t even listen when he told her the money he borrowed from her ended up wasted when the guys gave away the comics. Thinking that, as usual, she’d then see it wasn’t his fault. Only instead, she told him that when she got off work, they were going to work together at his shop. Apparently, his friends convinced her that he needed help, and she thought because she waited on people, selling comics was the same thing. Michael left his store closed, and planned to go over and hide out with Brian, bringing the usual shit he brought, since Brian never had anything. He was still smarting over the fact that Brian took HIS key. When the asshole bumped into him, Michael took out his anger on the guy, and then wondered where he’d seen him before. 

Justin and Gus were out the door before Michael finally remembered where he'd seen the guy. He was the author everyone was crazy about. Once again Michael remembered why he was pissed at his friends. They had given away all the comics he wanted to be autographed. He looked around the store and of course, they didn’t sell comics, and he doubted the guy would sign a bag of chips. Michael gave up, as he usually did when no one was there to do what he wanted and paid for the food before walking to Brian’s loft.

Brian was standing at his windows watching for Justin. He started to think something was wrong with him. He’d never been impatient to see anyone in his life. When he saw them pulling up he went to open the door and go down to let them in. Gus was carrying a soccer ball, while Justin was agreeing to everything that Gus wanted to do for the day. Brian knew there was really something wrong with him because when Gus smiled at him, he actually wanted to do anything to keep the boy smiling. 

“Gus wanted to make sure we didn’t forget to tell you he likes to play soccer too,” Justin told him, laughing when Gus nodded vigorously.

“Dos you know how?” Gus asked, sounding as if he was testing Brian.

“Yes, I do,” Brian told him.

“Dada learned because I wanted to kick the ball like the guys on the TV,” Gus informed Brian.

“I just need to grab my keys and we can go, then we can see if I remember everything I once knew,” Brian told Gus.

Justin had almost grabbed Gus when they got inside Brian’s loft. The place screamed ‘do not touch.’ Brian didn’t even wince when Gus ran all over, looking at everything. There was a small moment he prayed the kid’s sneakers weren’t dirty when he started trying to get on the sofa, only to run to the corner where there were toys that Brian hoped Justin wouldn’t ask about. Brian had woken up early, as usual, and had gone to the gym, where Emmett was waiting for him. They were working out when Brian told him he had plans with Justin. Brian wanted them to do more than just spend the afternoon around each other since he didn’t plan on going to Deb’s house tonight. 

Emmett let him know that Ted and Blake invited him to dinner with them when Ted heard Deb’s idea that he and Brian waste their breath once again talking to Michael. Brian told them why not come to the loft, then they could all get to know Justin and Gus. Leaving a shocked Emmett behind, he ended up thinking he needed to make sure Gus had something to do at the loft so Justin wouldn’t have an excuse to leave early. It wasn’t until he was carrying the bags of toys in his door that it occurred to him what he was doing. 

Justin didn’t mention it as they left the loft to get in his car. Neither of them saw Mikey standing across the street. Mikey once again only saw what he wanted to see - Brian going out of his way to get Mikey something he wanted. He didn’t even try to get Brian’s attention, figuring he would pull him aside at dinner and tell him to get Justin Cole to agree to do a signing at his shop. He walked off before he saw Brian stop Justin when he finished getting Gus in his seat, and kiss him. No, Mikey was once again living in the world where Brian understood making Mikey happy was his job in life.

To everyone watching Justin, Brian, and Gus, it looked like a family enjoying themselves at the park. When kids ran over to play with Brian and Gus, Justin went to sit on the bench, grabbing a pad and pencil, wanting to catch the moment. He didn’t pay attention to the kids around him, thinking Brian would have made a great model for Rage. Eventually, the drawing started to turn into more of a comic of Rage teaching kids to play soccer. Not that Justin intended it to be more than a sketch. A teen sat next to him, watching him work before saying anything.

“That’s really good.” He told Justin.

“Thanks. Sometimes I can’t stop wanting to draw everything I see.” Justin told him.

“It looks sort of like a comic my friends and I like.” He told Justin.

“Which one?” Justin asked.

“Rage. We all wanted to go to the convention, but our parents didn’t have the time.” He told Justin.

Justin flipped the paper and started on something for the kid, for being a fan. The kid watched as Rage was appearing in front of him, and didn’t know what to do when Justin finished and handed it to him, signed.

“Thanks for being a fan,” Justin told him.

“You’re the author?” The kid asked as Justin nodded. “Man, would you be okay if my friends came over to meet you?” 

“Sure,” Justin told him, watching the kid go over to three other guys who followed him back. Justin looked and saw Brian and Gus were still busy and allowed his attention to be taken by the kids asking questions.

Brian and Gus were ready for lunch, but Gus told Brian that Dada was busy. Brian could see the kids were excited when Justin answered every question they threw at him. Brian and Gus waited on the bench next to Justin for him to finish.

“Do yous like my Dada?” Gus asked.

“I actually do,” Brian told him, letting Gus climb on his lap.

“Aunt Molly said yous could get Dada to bring me here more. Did you knows I have a grandma and lots of aunts?” Gus asked.

“What do you think of having lots of aunts and a grandma?” Brian asked him.

“I can tells my friends at home I have them. They all have mommies, and sometimes it makes me sad that I don’t, but now I have aunts, and a grandma, and a Brian. They’ll all be sad they don’t haves a Brian.” Gus told him.

Brian didn’t know how to deal with the fact that to Gus, having a Brian was a big deal. “Why wouldn’t your friends be jealous of aunts and grandma?” 

“They have those, but now yous Dada’s friend, I so haves a Brian,” Gus told him.

“Are you hungry?” Justin asked, not realizing Brian had figured out he also did do love, and his name was Gus.

After lunch, Gus was sleeping in the car on the way back. Justin was planning on taking him to his mother’s house, not really sure if Gus being at what sounded like an adult dinner was a good idea. Only, Brian didn’t give him a chance to tell him, instead he carried a sleeping Gus into the loft with him. Justin watched as Brian put him in his bed, waiting by the bed until Gus settled again.

Emmett arrived a couple of minutes later with bags, planning to make dinner for everyone. Emmett called Blake and Ted to tell them the change of plans and they all decided an early dinner would keep them from being interrupted. Justin, not really wanting to sit around, went in the kitchen to help Emmett.

“Need help?” Justin asked.

“Sure. I wasn’t sure what your son would like.” Emmett told him, always happy to have someone to talk to. “Mind if I go see him?” He asked, after emptying the bags.

“Don’t wake him,” Brian told him as he came out of the room.

“I think I know that,” Emmett told him.

Brian walked up behind Justin as he washed the vegetables. “Thank you for agreeing to spend time with me.” 

“I’m sure it’s going to be all kinds of fun when Gus figures out you’re staying here when we go home,” Justin told him.

“There isn’t any reason I can’t visit,” Brian told him, not sure where that came from, only knowing he wanted to see more of Gus and Justin.

“You want to visit two people you barely know?” Justin asked.

“How are we going to be friends if it’s only when you come here? I decided I like the idea of new experiences. For once my time off can be spent teaching Gus soccer and learning how to be the kind of father I want to be if I ever find out if my child exists. I could also teach you so much more if you’d let me.” Brian told him, pulling Justin’s lips to his.

Emmett came out smiling at the kid, swearing one day he could give Brian some competition. He stopped when he saw them wrapped around each other, thinking maybe he needed to stop messing around because he wanted someone to drown in him the way the two of them did with each other. 

The loft door opened as a laughing Daphne walked in with Ted and Blake, causing Brian and Justin to separate. Brian grabbed a beer, pulling out drinks for everyone as they sat watching Emmett and Justin cook. 

Deb was almost finished with the food and was starting to wonder why no one was there yet. Brian never showed up on time, but Emmett and Ted were usually there. When the door opened she decided it was better they were all running late since she wanted an explanation as to why Michael’s store was closed when she showed up to help him. Deb had told every person she waited on to come by and see the shop, only to find the door locked and Michael not answering when she called.

“Where have you been?” Deb demanded to know.

“Getting some flyers made,” Michael told her.

“For what, the store you didn’t even open today?” Deb screamed, slapping his head as he passed her.

“What the fuck, Ma? I had things to do.” Michael said, rubbing his head.

“One thing you had to do is make money, which won’t happen if no one can buy anything. Another is you are going to listen to Ted and Brian tonight and do what they tell you.” She told him. 

“What time is Brian getting here?” He asked, excited.

“Is that all you heard?” Deb said, ready to shake him.

“I need to apologize for upsetting him last night since he's obviously been helping me. Of course, I’ll wait until he apologizes for kicking me out of the loft, like I don’t have the right to be there when I want to be, and for giving away the comics when he should have done what I asked him to do.” He told her.

“How is he helping you?” She asked, thinking Brian had listened to her.

“The guy who writes the comics I wanted to get autographed, I saw him at Brian’s. Which means Brian realized what he did at the convention was wrong, and is likely trying to convince the guy to help me.” Michael told her, thrilled at the idea that Brian is showing how much Michael meant to him.

“Help you do what?” Deb asked, calming down.

“Do you know how many people would flock to my store if I can get Justin Cole to agree to sign there? Which I plan to suggest when Brian gets here, and then they’ll stop acting like I don’t know what I’m doing.” Michael told her.

Deb patted Michaels head affectionately, thinking Brian and Ted got through to Michael. She couldn’t wait until they got here and helped to make sure Michael’s dream became a business she could be proud of.

After dinner, the guys left, taking Daphne with them. Justin stayed behind when Brian set up a train set for Gus. Justin watched the way the two of them were busy trying to set up towns around the tracks. Justin refrained from asking Brian why he bought all the things they were setting up, only because Gus loved the attention. Justin for a minute imagined what it would have been like to have a partner help him raise Gus. He started working on Rage, ignoring how he liked the idea of someone helping him with Gus.

Brian’s voice shook him out of his musings. “Why did you give Gus ‘Taylor’ instead of ‘Cole’?” 

Justin at first wasn’t going to answer, but Brian had told him something personal. “When Lynn left, Gus still had her last name, but since she put down my real name which isn’t Justin Cole, but Justin Cole Taylor. I only used Justin Cole for various reasons, but it’s not my real name. I filed the paperwork to have his name changed from Peters to Taylor because legally I am Taylor.” Justin told him.

“Her name was Lynn Peters?” Brian asked.

“It’s the name she used to rent the apartment. Who knows what her real name is.” Justin told him, not looking up from the sketch.

Did she look a lot like Gus?” Brian asked, getting up to get something he'd thrown in a box, no longer wanting to remember his father.

“Not really,” Justin said, thinking it wouldn’t explain Gus’s dark hair and eyes when he and Lynn were both blond. Happy when Brian stopped asking questions, Justin got lost in what he was doing, not really worried since Brian was playing with Gus.

Gus got up and went to see what his Brian was doing. Brian was pulling out pictures he had stored in a box and looked at himself then at Gus, who had crawled up next to him. Gus investigated the box, while Brian compared a few pictures he had of himself growing up. 

“That looks like me,” Gus told him, looking at the picture, before pulling out a shell bracelet Brian no longer wore and playing with it. 

Brian put the pictures away, not wanting to say anything until he was sure, but praying to a God he no longer prayed to, that his search had just ended. But knowing that until he did, Justin wasn’t going to disappear.

“So where do you guys live?” Brian asked as he carried Gus back to the train, sitting next to Justin.

“Chicago. When we aren’t doing conventions and signings.” Justin told him.

“Did you stay in hopes Lynn would return?” Brian asked.

“I doubt she will since she cleaned out her apartment before she left. To me, that said she wasn’t planning on coming back. She never really liked the place anyway. Apparently, she had expensive tastes and one-bedroom apartments weren’t it. I got the feeling that if she ever figured out I wasn’t a starving student, she might have stayed longer.” Justin told him.

“Why would you have a kid with her when it sounds like you didn’t like her?” Brian asked.

“Dada, I’m sleepy,” Gus told him, keeping Justin from having to continue this conversation.

“Nothing about her matters, because she gave me Gus,” Justin told him, packing up his things.

Brian let them go, not planning on telling Justin what he suspected until he could verify it. But now the last name Taylor made sense to Brian, and as Justin suggested, it was a starting point on where she may have run.