“Tell me why I’m here again?” Brian asked, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

“Because you’re a good father and want to support your children,” Justin said smiling wickedly.

They were at the elementary school’s Fall Festival; they didn’t even have any kids in the elementary school. Peter was doing extra credit work for his social studies class by helping out. Brian still didn’t see why he had to be there. John and Molly were somewhere in the school, same could be said for Gus but not together. The relationship between his two oldest was still very delicate.

“Dad, can we do the cakewalk?” Nan asked, pulling on Justin’s arm.

“Sure. Let’s go.”

“The cakewalk is stupid,” Mika whined.

“Gonna have to agree with the pipsqueak.”

“Fine, you two go find something else to do. But we might not share our cakes with you,” Justin said, taking Nan’s hand.

Mika put on a pout but didn’t follow as his father and sister went into the first-grade classroom the cakewalk was being held in. Brian felt little fingers grabbing his hand. He looked down and saw that Mika looked anxious being around so many strangers.

“Come on, let’s find something manly to do,” he told the boy.

Mika gave him a small smile and nodded. They found their way into a third-grade class. They had a plastic kiddie pool set up and rubber ducks floating in it. There was a thin piece of looped rope used as a lasso. Brian lead Mika over and the boy waited for his turn.

Mika grabbed the rope and threw it, missing the entire pool. He tried again, and again every time missing. He was over shooting so much Brian started to wonder about the boy’s eyesight. He told Mika to walk a few feet up, to get closer to the pool. Once he was, he had no trouble lassoing a duck. Brian would have to talk to Justin about getting Mika’s eyes checked.

Mika collected his prize and smiled a million-watt smile. It was the first time Brian had ever seen a similarity between Justin and Mika. Brian laughed at the little strut that Mika had after winning the small bear.

“There you two are,” Justin said, finding them outside the kindergarten room where Peter was volunteering.

“Look, Daddy, look what I won, I did it all by myself,” Mika said, showing Justin his prize.

“You did? That’s great.” Justin picked Mika up and twirled him, Mika giggling. Just as he was about to put him down someone knocked into Justin, causing him to fall.

Brian reacted and was able to catch Mika before he fell but Justin hit the floor.

“Daddy!” Nanette screamed. It was then Brian noticed someone had grabbed her and sprinting down the hall.

With Mika still in his arms he raced after the man who was kidnapping Nanette.  

“STOP HIM!” he yelled to anyone. People looked by no one stopped them.

The exit was close, and he was too far back. Once the man got out the door, he was free to go in any direction. He might even have a car waiting right outside the door. Mika was crying in his arms and Nanette’s screams were getting quieter. Why was no one stopping this guy? Just before the exit, someone shot past him and plowed into the man running with Nanette in his arms. She was dropped on the floor on her bottom, not her head thankfully.

It took a second to register what had hit the guy. Gus was on top of the guy, throwing punches, screaming at him. A cop was suddenly there, Brian pulled Gus off of the man while the cop pulled the man to his feet.

“This kid just attacked me,” the guy sputtered.

“This fucker tried to take Nan,” Gus roared, trying to get out of Brian’s arms to attack the man again.

“She’s my fucking granddaughter, I wasn’t kidnapping her, I was saving her.”

“Dad?” Brian looked back and saw Molly standing there, her face white as a sheet.

Turning back around Brian looked at the cop and apparently Justin and Molly’s father. “I don’t care if he’s the fucking King of England, he knocked her father down and stole her. He was running for the door, that doesn’t sound like a grandfather out for a leisurely day with his grandkid.”

“He’s never been much of a father and has never met my children, he had no right to take one. I want him arrested,” Justin said, limping terribly as he neared. The fall must have hurt his knee again.

“You can’t arrest me,” the man said pompously.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. There are cameras all over this school. Because I witnessed you running with the girl, I can arrest you.” The cop looked at Brian and Justin. “You come down tomorrow and give a statement. Because she fell, I need to call an ambulance, it’s just precaution but after that you can take her home if she doesn’t need to go in.”

The cop cuffed the man and led him out the door, everyone’s eyes were on them. Where were all these people when he was trying to catch up?

Justin knelt down, his face in showing how much pain he was in, but his daughter meant more. “Baby, are you alright?” She nodded, huge tears running down her face silently.

Justin sat down on the floor and both of his children climbed on his legs, him hugging them and them hugging him.

“You punched my dad,” Molly said. Brian turned and saw his whole crew even Peter.

Gus looked a little guilty. He shouldn’t. “I thought it was a stranger.”

“No, you did the right thing, don’t ever regret it,” Brian told him.

“You did. Whatever he was doing here it wasn’t good. He’s never cared about any of us. It doesn’t make sense,” Molly said, John wrapping an arm around her.

“I think I know,” Justin said from the floor.

“What?” Brian and Molly both asked.

“Tara dropped her custody suit; this was round two. My dad always has acted out of emotion. It’s round three we should really worry about,” Justin said looking tired.

“What’s round three?”

“Our mother,” Justin and Molly said together.

“What can she do?” he asked.

“A guess? She’s going to try to commit me.”

Brian looked between Justin and Molly and felt he didn’t know something. “Why would she?”

“When I was thirteen my parents had me committed to a place called Children of Noah. I didn’t know it at the time, it took years to make peace with it, but they had me put there because they suspected I was gay. It was a conversion therapy institute. I was there for two months, but they signed me up for a year.”

Ignoring everyone around them. “How did you get out after two months?”

“My grandmother. She stopped buying their lies and told them she either saw me or she would take control back of the electronics store she owned that she was letting my dad control.”

“After that, I never told them anything until the night kicked me out. But to get me in the institute they had me declared a risk to myself and others, she will use that against me.”

“I think we had enough excitement for today, let’s go home,” Brian said.

“My bear, I dropped my bear,” Mika cried.

“I got it,” Gus said, handing it to the boy.

“Where’d you get it?” Brian asked.

“Where he dropped it in front of the kindergarten room.”

“How the hell did you beat me to that guy?” Brian asked incredulous.

“I’m younger and faster, old man,” he said with a small smile.

“And a hero, both of you,” Justin said, standing up. Gus blushed but Brian agreed, Gus was a hero.

The paramedics checked Nanette out, she was fine except for being scared. Justin refused to be looked at, he just wanted to go home.

“Can you help me with my makeup, Dad?”

Brian didn’t look up from his tablet. “Sorry, not that kind of gay.”

“Daaad, stop messing around. I can’t get my face right.”

Looking up, he saw Peter in most of his Halloween costume, except for the face. His face was covered with dark smudges from wiping off the makeup. The kid was a perfectionist when it came to his art, so he wasn’t going to get into that with him. “Call Justin, I think he’s getting the twins ready now.”

It was Halloween and it finally fell on a weekend. Brian had been talked into going with Justin and the twins because they didn’t know what Gregor Michaels would try next. Justin was sure his mother was working on something but until she showed her hand, they were clueless. Melanie had told them that the case against Justin’s father was good. He would be spending some time in prison as long as he didn’t get a homophobic judge.

“Can I use your phone?” Peter asked.

“Yeah.” He pushed his cell towards his youngest. “Where are your brothers?”

“They already left for their party. You should have seen their costumes.”

Last year they hadn’t dressed up, he had a feeling Molly made them. The kidnapping attempt was two weeks ago and now it seemed that Gus was a member of John and Molly’s group.

“What are they?”

“The three musketeers.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you should see Molly, she looks cool. John said she would make gay guys question their sexuality.”

“Meaning?”

Peter pulled out his own phone and looked through the pictures. Finding what he needed he handed it over to Brian. He saw what John meant. They were all in black leather pants and white billowy shirts open to mid chest. Brian didn’t know what kind of bra she was wearing, nor did he want to think about it, but it was binding. She wasn’t a small chested girl so whatever she was doing was pretty close to magic because she didn’t look any difference in the chest than the boys. Her hair was pulled back into a simple black tie. Both Gus and John’s hair was longer than it normally was, not long enough to be pulled back didn’t have the normal product in it than they usually put in their hair. To top off the look they each had a realistic looking fake sword, each handle was a different color.

“Wow, they did a lot of work on this, they look great.”

“Molly said Justin made the swords and bought the pants. His friend Daphne helped Molly with her…ya know,” he said with a blush.

“Never mind calling Justin, let’s just go over there. I have to meet him soon anyway.”

Justin looked at the two adorable looking costumes that he made the kids a month ago. Nanette had wanted to be a wolf and Mika a ninja. But that was all blown to hell and for the past week he had to use his very little free time making their new costumes. Well, he didn’t really have to work that hard and Mika’s was mostly bought.

The night at the fall festival had done more than scare his children. It gave them both a major case of hero worship. Nanette wanted to dress like her hero, Gus. After some thought, he decided to make a soccer uniform and put Gus’ number and name on the back of the jersey. Mika’s was more costly. Mika was now obsessed with Brian. He named his bear he won Brian. And he wanted to dress like Brian for Halloween. So, Justin took him to a store got a little suit that looked close to some of Brian’s designer suits. Emmett knew some people and got him a deal, they weren’t designer, but suits aren’t cheap even little ones. Then just went to several thrift stores until he found a briefcase in good condition. The hardest part was that Mika wanted his dark hair cut to match Brian’s. The things he did for his children.

The kids didn’t need makeup, but he thought it would be more authentic to give Nanette fake grass stains on her knees. He also painted on Brian’s shell bracelet on Mika’s wrist. You couldn’t see it with the suit jacket, but his son was insistent.

There was a knock at the door, and he hoped it wasn’t bad news. Looking through the window he let out a breath, it was just Brian and Peter.

“Hey, I thought we were going to get you when we were ready?”

“Peter wanted help with his face,” Brian said with a shrug. “Where are the rugrats?”

“Watching television, not messing with the costumes until it’s time to go.” Justin looked at Peter, he would love to say he knew what the boy was but that would be a lie. “What kind of makeup do you want?”

“Just enough to finish off the look.”

Damn, that didn’t help. He looked over at Brian, but he had a smirk on his face, no help there either. “I’m sorry but I’m having trouble telling what you are.”

“I’m James Dean…after the accident.”

Justin’s eyes widened. That was horrific and disgusting. Yep, the kid was an artist. He was going to give his father so much trouble when he was older. “I don’t agree with the idea, but I give you marks for creativity. You do know most people won’t even know who James Dean is.”

“Yeah, I know. Less likely to offend someone that way. So, can you?” He gave Justin his puppy dog eyes.

“Fine. Brian can you go watch the twins. I don’t want them messing up their costumes.”

“What do I look like, their babysitter,” he muttered but went into the living room.

Brian could hear the television; the kids were watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of them. Mika was in a little dark blue suit with his hair gelled, a briefcase almost as big as him on his lap. Nanette was in a soccer jersey with patches sewn on the front and back. The number eighty-eight was on his front and back and on the back was the name Kinney.

They noticed he was in the room and rushed to him, Mika dropping the briefcase on the floor.

“Uncle Brian,” they both called before hugging him.

Uncle Brian, that was new. “What are you two dressed up as?” he asked.

“I’m you,” Mika said beaming.

“I’m Gus,” Nanette said with a matching smile.

“Why?” he asked, kicking himself when their smiles dimmed.

“They wanted to look like their heroes,” Justin said from the door before turning around and walking back into the kitchen.

“Hero, huh? I get Gus but why me?”  he asked Mika.

“Because you’re strong and ‘cause you made me see the ducks.”

Ducks? His brain had to play catch-up. He had forgotten all about the ducks. He hadn’t told Justin about his suspicions on Mika’s eyesight yet. He would tomorrow, tonight was all about fun.

“Where is John?” Gus asked Molly, they had been at the party for a few hours.

So far Molly had been a hit with guys and girls, he thought he saw the lead cheerleader from his school give Molly her number. She was beautiful but besides knowing that as a fact, there was nothing. He really was a freak, even John was attracted to someone. What was wrong with him?

“He’s off with his secret boyfriend.”

“Another one?” That didn’t sound good.

“I don’t think he’s bad but who knows. We went to Babylon and this guy was there. They disappeared for a while and when John showed back up, we left. He wouldn’t say what they did but I’m sure it’s more than he’s ever done before he gets all blushy when I ask.”

“I hope he’s not getting into trouble.”

The party was pretty loud, it was full of kids from his school, Molly’s private school and a few other schools. It was being held by the city so anyone could go just as long as you were under eighteen and over fourteen.

“Excuse me,” someone said from behind him. “Excuse me, oh I’m sorry. Sorry. Oops, sorry.”

He turned and watched as a girl stepped on almost everyone’s foot and get glares from them all. He couldn’t take her eyes off of her. She was in a long black dress that went down to her combat boots. Her skin was dark, but her eyes were light blue, he’d never seen that before. She had hot pink eye shadow that made her eyes stand out even more.

“Earth to Gus…Gus.” Fingers snapped in front of him.

“Huh? Oh sorry, just do you know who that is?”

Molly looked around him at the girl. “Queen of the dead? Her name is Preity Russell. She goes to my school, she’s weird. That’s not a costume she wears as close to that as she can with the school uniform. Every time I’ve seen her outside of school, she looks like that.

“Is she dating anyone?” he blurted out.

“Are you kidding? No, I’ve never seen her even talk to anyone.”

“Have you ever tried to talk to her?” He felt really defensive of the girl he didn’t even know.

“No, but I can see you do, go on. I don’t mind.”

“You sure?” he asked, already heading for the girl. He thought he heard Molly laugh.

The closer he got, the more nervous he got. What if she didn’t like him? What if she thought he was stupid? She looked up from the food as he neared.

“Uh…hi?” he asked. Idiot.

“Hello,” she said before looking back down at one of the food trays. He looked down at the tray.

“So, you like chocolate?”

Her eyes snapped up at him and he thought he would die. What he thought was chocolate chip cookies were raisins, he saw the sign now. God, she must think he’s like racist or something now.”

Just when he thought she would walk away she laughed. “My name’s Preity but I prefer Fly.”

“Like Fly Girls?” He blamed Emmett for his stupid question because of the man’s obsession with J-Lo. No one under the age of thirty should know the reference.

“No. Like fly…the insect. You know in the Diptera order.”

“Yeah, of course, who doesn’t know that. So, are you having a good time?”

“The food is good.”

“Are you here with anyone?”

She looked at him like he had two heads. “Why? Are you planning on dumping garbage on me? Throwing water over me?”

“God, no, I would never. Why would someone do something like that?”

She shrugged. “Boys usually don’t talk to me…girls either for that matter. When they do it’s always as a cruel joke.”

“Then their insane. You’re amazing.” He cringed realizing what he just said. “I mean your costume is amazing.”

“It’s not a costume. I like to wear gothic clothing. My moms own a thrift store, they find me the best.”

“Your parents are gay?” he asked.

She visibly pulled back. “Yes,” she said defensively.

“No, I just meant my dad’s gay. My mom was too but she died during childbirth with me.”

“I’m sorry. I never had a dad, didn’t need one. Just my moms, they’re the best. They used a sperm donor, one they knew. They told me if I ever want to know him they’ll tell me. I haven’t yet but maybe one day I will.”

“I’ve never seen eyes like yours before.” God, he was so stupid.  

“Oh, sorry to be a disappointment. These are contacts. My eyes are brown. My mother has brown eyes and she said my donor did too. But I feel that this outfit needed a good stand out.”

“It was good, but I bet your natural eyes are just as beautiful.”

“Hey, where’s Gus?”

Molly looked over at John and noticed the huge hickey on his neck she decided not to warn him. “Looks like Gus finally likes someone, for real this time,” she said, pointing to the pair.

Gus had told her about his problems and why he had done what he did. It didn’t make it better, but she decided to forgive but not forget. If he repeated it with anyone then there would be hell to pay.

“No shit. Good for him but…her?”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Nothing I guess but she seems a little odd.”

“You have no idea; I’m going to love watching this show.”

“I hope it works, he’s a bitch with he’s left out. Which reminds me, now that I’ve got someone, Gus has got someone now you need someone.”

Molly shook her head. “I had to tell five guys to get lost and two girls, I have no trouble getting mine. Let’s go get Romeo and go home before we’re late.”