EMMETT

I looked around at the group that was expanding and changing around us. It seems like it just happened, and yet it’s been over a year of happiness, heartbreak, and healing for all of us. I watched as Gus toddled between everyone. Deb ordered all of us here to witness the end of the nightmare we were still trying to help people through. We couldn’t wave the magic Liberty family wand and erase the bad, but we managed to use what Deb and Vic had taught us over the years. 

George, Ron, and their very high placed friends took up the case that we all started and expanded it. The houses they were opening in city after city became safe havens for children regardless of the reason they needed it. The victims of the Yates were being helped, but they still felt like it wasn’t enough, because there were other people out there waiting in the wings. The problem wasn’t the evil shits out there, it was the lie they offered to the kids who badly needed someone to care that they existed. Hunter told George that if it wasn’t for Justin, he could have just as easily fallen into the trap.

Hunter had lived with his worthless mother and dealt with one shitty situation after another, yet he kept going because he’d seen a world where he didn’t have to become what everyone expected. Through Justin he’d found a way out and grabbed on to it with both hands, never expecting to meet the man who started it for him. Hunter pointed out that in a lot of cases the kids who do end up on the streets likely had hopes and dreams. Their determination to survive became the only thing they had. George thought over what Hunter said and wanted to help before the kids ended up in situations like the survivors. 

Of course, I loved watching Virginia and George Jr’s reaction to the money they loved being used to help the people they always thought were beneath them. Virginia wasn’t left penniless, that wasn’t George’s way of dealing with things. Instead, she was upper middle class now, but no longer invited to the functions she once reigned over. Instead, the others looked at her as a warning of how easily it was to fall from the upper stratosphere. Virginia no longer had servants to do her whims, and found that without George’s generosity she also had to live on a budget with the spoiled son she’d raised. George Jr was far from poor before his divorce, but found out after trying to fight her, that lawyers cost more when Dad wasn’t footing the bill. He ended up having to live with his mother in her townhouse that she could barely afford. George hadn’t been surprised when Virginia’s brother showed up at his door, demanding to know why he’d ended the agreement with Virginia not to embarrass the family with his secret. When Talbot met Justin I was surprised at his reaction, because his anger wasn’t directed at George but at his sister and nephew for their actions. Apparently, Virginia and George Jr didn’t get family loyalty the way Talbot and George did. After Talbot left, having asked Justin to consider meeting his family who would welcome him, he set out to make sure his sister found out what it was like to be cast out the way Justin had been. Virginia’s family closed ranks, leaving her to live off the small inheritance she and George Jr were given years ago. She was no longer welcome to stay in their homes and live off them the way she did with George. She was now living her nightmare with her son and ended up losing everything she loved. George made sure the write up on the center was front page news, along with the money raised from auctioning off the high priced items that Virginia coveted.

I came out of my thoughts about George’s little piece of revenge on Virginia and George Jr when Teddy handed me a cosmo and then went off to find his better half. I’d never been so happy as I was watching the two of them. I can honestly say I didn’t think Blake could turn his life around the way he did. It wasn’t just the drugs that made me wary of Blake when we met, it was that I didn’t want Teddy’s life to be the one shouldering everything to keep Blake. Instead, Blake, who at the time pissed me off for leaving the rehab, knew he needed to fix himself, not lean on Teddy. Blake came back to us sure of himself and his place in the world, and now they were equals. Teddy will tell you Blake is like Robin to Justin’s Batman, but like all of us, we can see he wanted his life to mean something and found it in helping any way he could. 

I smiled when I saw Deb flustered at whatever Carl said to her. She didn’t know what to think of the attention Carl was giving her. We all laugh at how she hasn’t figured out he’s interested. He decided he was ready to live now that his city had been cleaned up. Carl didn’t let Stockwell weasel his way out of the shit he’d been in the middle of, Stockwell might have made it his mission to clean up the streets, but what he allowed to happen wasn’t something he planned. He resigned in disgrace after there was no way to cover up his part in it. Deb ended up showing up at the precinct with enough food to feed anyone who was there, as her thanks for them helping her boys. Carl took one look at his goddess and decided he was going to win her. So far it’s working, since Ben pretty much has an open invitation to Deb’s house and brings Carl to everything, we all are rooting for them. Okay, so Michael was a bit freaked out that his mother was dating, and the fact that his mother might have a sex life, but he’s beginning to accept it.

Michael, on the other hand, found a real hero in Ben. We got a headache having to listen to how great Ben was. While we’re all happy for both of them, we really didn’t want to hear that much. Ben didn’t want to be Michael’s hero, he wanted a life outside the world he’d lived in for so long. While Michael wasn’t exactly calm and rational, his brand of drama was perfect for Ben. What Ben didn’t understand was the hero wasn’t just about daring deeds or exciting adventures. For Michael, it was that Ben would be strong enough to put up with him. It was also Michael letting go of his secret wish he once had for Brian to be his.

Lindsay had let go of the same thing when she found Mel. Instead, she kept Brian as her family when she didn’t have one that accepted her, flaws and all. While she let go of her mother, her father wouldn’t let go of her. Now her mother and sister know that if Lindsay, Mel, and Gus aren’t welcome, he and his money won’t be there to fund whatever wedding Lynette has. Nancy was finding herself seeing what Virginia saw in her future if she didn’t accept her daughter, while Lindsay went on with her life, not letting it affect her. 

Jennifer laughed at something Justin said to her and looked over at Hall who’d been showing up at our gatherings lately. Hall we all liked, but more because he was here because he wanted to tell Justin the news we’d all waited for. Justin kept inviting him to things saying Hall was someone he didn’t want to let go of, which of course meant we all kept him because even with Justin opening more and more to the world, he still needs time when dealing with new people. I think Justin just wants everyone to start living the way he is trying to. She helped him with Hunter, who at seventeen was emancipated from his mother since the game he was working on was sold to the friend Blake and Justin knew. Jennifer opened up her home to Hunter, loving Hunter for the great kid he is, not doing it to make up for not having Justin in her life. Justin and Jennifer are more friends than parent and child, and like friends, he wants her to be happy again. Molly and Hunter help him by making sure Jennifer knows they like Hall too.

Brian got up and went to Justin, dragging him off to sit with him, and all of us smiled at how they easily seem to get lost with themselves. For two people who spent their lives separating themselves from others, they had each found the one person who made them whole and grabbed on to each other. Brian was busy as hell with his new company, but he didn’t let a day go by without Justin. Instead, he let go of micromanaging the team of Lindsay, Cynthia, and Ted, and let them spread their wings while he made sure Justin didn’t try to take over the world from his computers. All of us helped, but Brian was the one Justin listened to, while Justin gave Brian a safe place to give his heart to. They still find ways to be alone together in a crowd, even when we were here to celebrate the victory they fought together to achieve. Looking around Woody’s, where Deb arranged for us all to watch the ending of an empire made off of others suffering, was merriment and happiness to see it collapses.  

Julian wasn’t getting any breaks, and Mel made sure of it. They filed lawsuit after lawsuit for the survivors, and the untouchables were taking care of the businesses that suffered under the Yates umbrella. If they were innocent, the companies continued to prosper under their wings. No one wanted to see people all over the world lose everything because of Julian and Carter’s screwed up family. Even Carter’s wife, who had been his father’s mistress had been happy to see the end of the family. She had no interest in being tarnished by her link to her son or ex-husband. Instead, she managed to sell her shares to Ron and leave them all behind. I had to wonder what it was like for her to raise her husband’s brother, but maybe the money was worth it to her. 

I was about to order another drink when Fred came through the door. I wanted George to finally find out what real love was, and Fred took a lot of convincing. Justin and I hounded him until he at least agreed to see George again. He didn’t understand why I wanted to help, but I explained that my relationship with George was one of two lonely people who were together but still waiting for the loves of their lives to show up. George looked up and his eyes locked on Fred, this time he didn’t shy away from showing he wasn’t going to let him get away again and I raised my empty glass to him to give him my blessing, only to put it down when the bartender handed me a new one.

“The gentleman on the other side of the bar sent that to you.” The bartender whispered, moving out of my way so I could see who sent it.

I was kind of not sure what to think of the big brawny man who didn’t quite ping on my gaydar. He got up and walked over, completely sure of himself and my welcome. Granted, beefy tops and Emmett make Emmett one happy boy, but...

“Hi, I thought you could use a drink, and me, I’m Drew.” He said sitting down.

I rolled my eyes at the crappy pickup line and laughed when all my friends hooted and hollered for him to get me. George raised his glass, nodding, and I let go and decided to see if Drew might be right.

Deb ran to the bar and turned up the tv’s before I could flirt. All of us stopped to watch the men who ruined so many lives being taken out of the federal building in handcuffs, and the reporter announcing they wouldn’t ever see the outside of a prison again. Ron kissed Lindsay’s cheek and picked up Gus to go when everyone erupted over seeing justice triumph over the evil of the world. Deb grabbed Carl and danced while we all joined in. We all started filing out into the street, even the people that didn’t know why we were celebrating our victory.

“May I have this dance?” Drew asked before grabbing me and dancing in the street among all the others, although it felt like we were alone. 

JUSTIN

Brian and I waited until everyone went outside to slip away. Everyone seemed to get that while I was glad it was over, I really wanted to be alone with Brian. As we walk through everyone, I watch my grandfather looking truly happy in the arms of Fred, my mother letting Hall dance with her, and the beginnings of new lives for everyone. It was time for me to continue to live like I told Hall. I wanted to do this right, because Brian deserved so much for loving me when he could have avoided what came after we met. 

He didn’t ask where we were going, because he knew, since he gave it to me. We got to the roof, where my sister and Hunter had set up everything the way I asked. It wasn’t fancy, just a little wine, food, and the blanket Brian used the first time we came up here. We both sat down, letting the quiet around us work it’s magic, drinking a toast to the end of the journey we started on.

“Now that the world is waiting for you, what are your plans Mr Taylor?” Brian asked.

“I only have one,” I tell him.

“Which is?” Brian asks.

“Seeing what my life will be like not being alone, but with you in it,” I tell him.