Corey listened to Lindsay as she explained her whole day and finally ended with what Michael asked her to do. He could have done without the whole recap but she seemed to think he needed all the details including one he didn’t know. She kept insisting that Jen hadn’t meant to tell her, and it was her own fault for listening when it was a private conversation. Corey hung up and went to find Brian and Justin, hoping the two weren’t busy since they’d been locked up in Justin’s studio after the interview. Knocking, he smiled as Justin opened the door, blushing and asking for a second before joining him downstairs. 

Brian came down first, almost an hour later, looking completely relaxed. Justin followed a few minutes behind Brian. He knew neither of them likely realized they’d made him wait as long as they had, but with these two they tended to lose track of time when they were in their own world. He’d known Brian long enough not to waste time, but he also wanted to make sure he gave them all the details.

“Lindsay called me and told me a few things that I wanted to make you aware of,” Corey said, only to be interrupted by Brian.

“What’s she bitching about now?” Brian grumbled.

“Nothing. She ran into Michael and wanted me to know what he asked her to do.” Corey told him.

“Which is?” Brian asked, hoping Lindsay hadn’t gotten into some new mess.

“He wants her to get the codes to get him and Collier into the house. From what it sounds like, he thinks with you guys at the benefit, he and Collier would be able to stay here waiting for you two. Lindsay’s also worried you’d be mad at Justin’s mother because she overheard her talking about the baby you two are planning to have.” Corey told them.

“Fuck. So now everyone will know,” Justin said. Looking at Brian as if Justin was to blame.

“I don’t think Lindsay plans to tell anyone, especially because she doesn’t want Jen to get in trouble with you guys. I know you don’t trust her right now Brian, but I think she’s trying to do the best she can not to screw up any more than she already has with you.  And for now, I think you should see her calling as her way to correct some of the shit she did in the past, which I understand isn’t my business. What is my business is the part she told me about Michael’s newest plan. And it leaves us with what to do about what Michael asked her to do.” Corey told them.

“The idea of either of them in this house…” Justin said, not liking the idea of someone invading the sanctuary he created for himself and Brian.

“It also tells me he doesn’t watch the house, since even when you two were away there were guards around the grounds,” Corey told them.

“What do you think we should do?” Justin asked as Brian sat without saying anything.

“Let them enter the grounds, it gives us cause to have them arrested. Then we have a case we can work with. That will take care of our biggest issue, Collier, who has spent his life staying just outside what could get him in trouble. For years his family was able to keep him out of trouble because his first obsession wasn’t famous and just wanted to get away from the family. They can’t pay you two off or find a way to make this go away. I have a feeling they know it and it’s why they’ve been distancing themselves from the situation as much as they could.” Corey told them.

“I don’t want them in this house, but if it helps us…” Justin said, looking to Brian.

“Nothing they touch changes anything,” Brian said, knowing no one could touch what this house meant to both of them.

“There will be people in the house, and we give them a special code that alerts the company it’s an intruder and not someone welcome in the house. I’ll call Carl and make sure the police are here waiting for them but let them trespass so they can arrest them.” Corey told them.

“You want to be here don’t you?” Brian asked, seeing Corey’s excitement.

“Look, don’t get me wrong, hanging around and enjoying your hospitality isn’t a hardship, but it’s not how you two deserve to live just because a couple of fuckwits became obsessed with you. I don’t want us to have to still be dealing with this for your future children.” Corey told them.

And Corey lost the two of them, but he understood that Brian trusted him to do his job.

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

Lindsay came home to Mel shaking her head as Lynnette complained about everything wrong in her world. Mel didn’t seem to get why Lynnette thought she gave a shit about her any more than she had in the past. Mel was more amused at Lynnette’s belief that everyone should suffer with her. In truth, she’d been distracted with what Brian had called to tell her about Lindsay finding out and wondered how Lindsay was really taking the news that Brian was planning on having another child. She sat here letting Lynnette bitch about how sad her life was, hoping the baby wouldn’t set Lindsay back on her road to self-discovery. It helped that Brian gave her permission to discuss this with Lindsay if she brought it up.

It wasn’t until Lindsay walked in that the real Lynnette came out. This brought Mel’s attention back to Lynnette. Mel watched the calculated gleam in Lynnette’s eyes and wasn’t going to let Lindsay get shit on by her sister. Which happened in the past because if Mel interfered it would have Lindsay trying to defend the shitheads. In a way, it was a test that Mel didn’t mean it to become, but while she wanted to believe Lindsay was changing, she needed to see it. It didn’t mean she would sit back and let Lynnette fuck with Lindsay though.

“So does Mel know about your little infidelity?” Lynnette asked, smiling and showing that she enjoyed hurting Lindsay.

“You mean Sam? We really shouldn’t have thought since he’s a total waste of a father he should have been a good choice.” Mel said, shrugging it off, seeing the gratitude in Lindsay’s eyes.

Mel would have laughed at the look of confusion when it didn’t do what Lynnette wanted but it was just sad that a family could be like Lindsay’s. She was angry that Lynnette couldn’t seem to be happy unless she was hurting Lindsay. It didn’t excuse Lindsay’s behavior but it explained a lot about Lindsay to Mel.

“Plus, I felt like I’d love to feel the way Lindsay felt when she was carrying Gus. So we were happy when Lindsay didn’t conceive, but now I’m ready to help her create the family we’ve always wanted together. Plus, we’d rather have a child that would have the kind of family that would never make them feel unwanted. You know, the way you and the rest of your family do to Lindsay?” Mel said, stopping before going in for the kill. “Oh God… I just realized it must hurt you that you haven’t had any child support children of your own.” Mel said smirking.

“Like I’d want one just because some rockstar knocked me up.” Lynnette dismissed, not liking the way this was going.

“But wouldn’t that be your dream, a father who loved his son so much that you could bleed him dry? I mean, we got lucky because Brian and Justin love Gus and would never treat him differently. In fact, they, like us, would make anyone sorry if they tried to hurt our son.” Lindsay told her sister, sitting down next to Mel.

“It doesn’t hurt that Justin’s family makes everyone look at your mistake differently.” Lynnette sniped.

“Or is it that they’re looking at you and Mother differently that’s the real problem? What’s it like for you to be in my shoes? I honestly don’t care, because I’ve finally given up on you, so get out of my house and go be miserable with your next ex-husband, while I’m happy with the people who love me for me. I’m done playing the victim so you can feel better about your crappy life.” Lindsay told her, pointing to the door.

“Sure, and while your living in your hovel I’ll be living in my mansion.” Lynnette sniped.

“At least until the newest younger model catches your latest husband’s eye.” Lindsay said sweetly as Lynnette slamed out the door.

“Why did you let her in?” Lindsay asked.

“She’s amusing if nothing else, but I want you to know I’m proud of you.” Mel told her.

“It was easier when I stopped letting what they think bother me. Seeing Justin’s family and Drew’s family and the way they support them, it stopped making sense to me that I was putting up with the way my family treated me and you.” Lindsay told her.

“Did you have a good day?” Mel asked, since Lindsay seemed as if nothing was bothering her.

“With Jen and Deb I did, but I need to tell you about something.” Lindsay said sounding upset and making Mel’s stomach drop. Only, what Lindsay said wasn’t the jealousy Mel expected. “I went to the store because I wanted to have a romantic dinner with you, since Gus was still with Brian, and I ran into Michael. I tried to act the way I used to when he would say shit, just to see what he had to say… He wanted me to help him break into Brian and Justin’s house.” Lindsay told her.

“WHAT?” Mel asked, wondering why Brian hadn’t told her that.

“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either, but I called Corey to let him know, since he would need to deal with it.” Lindsay told her.

“You didn’t call Brian?” Mel said, still wondering if Lindsay was going to mention the baby issue.

“So he could tell me to call Corey?” Lindsay asked, looking at Mel confused.

Mel felt like shit for once again thinking Lindsay would use something to her advantage. “Sorry. In the past you would have, which isn’t fair of me.” Mel said, hoping Lindsay didn’t take it wrong.

“You’re right, in the past I would have, but I’m not willing to play those games with you or Brian any more. I want you both to forgive me for the shit I did, not let it go because I did the right thing for once.” Lindsay told her, even though it hurt a little when Mel said that. But she couldn’t say she didn’t deserve it for the way she had acted in the past.

“Anything else?” Mel asked, hating that she couldn’t just let it go.

“No. Just know I’m happy for them, and will be for us when we’re ready again.” Lindsay told her, leaning her head on Mel’s shoulder.

“I think we’re almost there.” Mel told her, smiling.

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

Michael wondered why Collier didn’t seem as excited as he was with his plan. Granted he really didn’t know what they would do once they got in, but at least he thought of something other than sitting around waiting for Collier’s ‘brilliant thought’ that the twink would eventually want Collier over Brian. Michael could understand why Collier really didn’t stand a chance against Brian, it didn’t mean that Michael didn’t want Justin out of his way, just that the guy couldn’t help but wanting Brian. Which would be a problem since Collier saw Brian as the obstacle to his problems, instead of the blond who stole Brian from Michael.

“So in all your ‘brilliant planning’ did you account for the fact that security stays on the grounds?” Collier sneered at Michael. Making it clear that he thought Michael sounded like an idiot.

“They’ll be guarding the idiot at the benefit, so what’s the problem?” Michael said, getting pissed at Collier for acting like he didn’t think anything through.

“You’re right. Sorry, I just didn’t want you to end up in trouble, but maybe this could work.” Collier told him, knowing it wouldn’t, but thinking that then it might work for him.

“Once Lindsay does what I need, we can make it so they can’t avoid us.” Michael tells him, not really sure what came next.

“Great.” Collier said, smiling before thinking of his own plan while Michael screwed himself over.