Justin managed to keep the conversation away from Brian most of the afternoon. He really didn’t discuss Pittsburgh with Finn, since Finn tended to shy away from the place they met. Justin knew it was a horrible time in Finn’s life and he normally avoided anything related to their hometown. He knew Finn needed to deal with it eventually, but both he and Connor didn’t want to push until he was ready. 

Connor had been visiting Pittsburgh and came along with Justin and Dean to get some hunk of metal that Molly actually got permission for them to take, only to stumble over a strung out Finn. At first they planned to call the cops and let them deal with him, but instead Connor picked him up and took him with them to Justin’s place. Brett called around and found a doctor who would come over, since for some reason Finn refused to go to the hospital. They thought Finn was strung out; instead they found out he’d been trying to detox alone. Something the doctor warned them could kill Finn, since he was already in bad shape. Finn kept trying to leave, even when he could barely move. Connor and Justin both offered to help him find a rehab to help him, but he was resistant. Until Connor offered to take him to a rehab in California. Finn only agreed after they both promised not to question him on his past. And to this day only Brett knew Finn’s real name. As far as Connor and Justin were concerned, until their friend was ready to tell them about himself they’d wait and support him.

Finn turned his life around, and paid all of them back after he finished school, not wanting to feel like he took advantage of the people who helped him. Finn wanted to tell Justin and Connor his story one day, but he felt like he needed to apologize to the person who would have helped him first. When Connor told Finn that he and Brett were going to follow Justin back to Pittsburgh when he went back, Finn planned to go with them. It was time for Finn to deal with the mess he left behind, and the one man who deserved better than what Finn did to him. Finn didn’t want to think about it, so instead he wanted to know about the guy that had Justin flustered. He hoped Justin didn’t kill him when Brett brought the guy who ruffled Justin over in a few minutes.

“Justin still wants to believe the only reason the guy’s here is to win a bet. Which, according to Daphne, never happened between the brothers.” Connor told them.

“So who’s the guy?” Finn asked, pulling out plates.

“Brian… what was his last name Justin?” Connor asked.

“Kinney. Did you know him?” Justin asked Finn, who dropped a plate, looking upset.

“You okay?” Connor asked, since Finn was acting strangely.

“I know him.” Finn tells them.

“Brian?” Justin asked, knowing if Brian hurt Finn, he could rot in hell as far as Justin was concerned.

“Not like that, but I need to tell you about me before he shows up here… You both know my name isn’t Finn.” He told them.

“You don’t have to tell us anything unless you’re ready.” Connor told him.

“My past is about to catch up to me. I invited Brett and the mystery guy here, not knowing it was Brian.” Finn told them.

“Was he… Shit, what was he to you?” Justin asked.

“Nothing really. It’s just he knows me through the first person who tried to help me. See I didn’t want to be me anymore, and when you guys didn’t push me, I became Finn.” He told them.

“Being Finn worked for you.” Justin told him, not caring who Finn really was.

“It made it easier to let Blake disappear for me. I didn’t want to be the guy who shit all over everyone, and took advantage of the best man I knew.” Blake told them.

“Brian knew you as Blake?” Connor asked.

“He might not remember me, since I wasn’t part of the inner circle of his friends. They didn’t exactly welcome me being around. Which I got since they only saw me as someone who was shitting all over their friend Ted. I mean, I got why Emmett wasn’t rolling out the welcome mat and it’s likely he won’t be jumping up and down to hear I want to see Ted.” Blake told them.

“We’ll be there with you.” Justin told him.

“Just don’t be surprised if Brian isn’t friendly, he only knows fucked up Blake.” Blake told them.

“We only care about Finn, who pulled his life together.” Connor assured him.

“What does Brian say he wants from you?” Blake asked.

“I don’t know I haven’t given him five minutes of my time.” Justin told him.

“Daphne said he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted from Justin, except to get to know him.” Connor told him.

“Which doesn’t make any sense, since we just met.” Justin told them.

“Unless you give him more than five minutes you won’t find out if he’s interested in more than his usual one night stand. It’s just, him following you here, that’s different for Brian.” Blake told him.

“Not according to Brandon. Brian hopped a flight to win a bet once.” Justin told him.

“Which isn’t what he’s doing with you, according to Daphne and Ted.” Connor told him.

“You can trust Ted.” Blake told Justin.

“Ted also told me a couple of other things that might help you with Brian.” Connor told him, not wanting to tell Justin about having the Tops of Pittsburgh all looking for him.

“Is it that bad?” Blake asked.

“Well… yeah, but there’s also something else, that according to Ted is a big deal for Brian.” Connor told them.

“Any day now.” Justin pushed, when Connor was still reluctant to continue.

“Okay. So apparently the idea for the bet was from a guy named Michael. It was his way to make sure you wanted nothing to do with Brian. It sounded a bit weird, but from what Ted said, Michael thinks Brian should want him if he wants to settle down. From what Ted told me, the fact that Brian was actually pissed at Michael about the whole bet thing makes Ted believe Brian isn’t playing around with you. In fact, Brian had Ted start a rumor about him planning to settle down, and left it so Michael believes it’s Michael’s dreams finally coming true. Ted said it’s pretty much to teach Michael not to fuck with you. Ted also told me it was him and Emmett who spread the rumor, and Emmett heard it from Michael, not Brian or Brandon.” Connor told him.

“Brian isn’t excusing Michael?” Blake asked Connor.

“Nope, not at all. Apparently he pretty much announced to everyone in the diner that he’d have their heads if Justin was still a bet. Which brings me to the other thing. Michael has changed the bet.” Connor told them.

“That’s pretty big, since no one messed with Michael for fear of pissing off Brian.” Blake told them.

“That’s why I want to go with Justin to Pittsburgh. Since I have a feeling Brian isn’t giving up on him. There’s also the fact that the tops in Pittsburgh are planning to fight Brian and Brandon over Justin.” Connor told them. Groaning when he realized Brian and Brett were standing there listening to him.

“Blake, nice to see you’re not wasting your life.” Brian said, really only interested in Justin.

“From what I hear you’re trying to change your life too lately.” Blake told him.

“My life changed a lot since you disappeared. I’m sure Ted would love to know you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere.” Brian pointedly told Blake.

“Brian has a son.” Justin told Blake, glaring at Brian for trying to make Finn/Blake feel bad.

“Did Brandon tell you?” Brian asked, letting it go for now.

“He mentioned it, but I sort of know Lindsay and Mel too.” Justin told him.

“My family seems to want to keep you a secret.” Brian said, invading Justin’s personal space.

“No secret. They just didn’t see any reason to introduce us. I might as well get this out of the way, and then you can be on your way. I expect commitment and monogamy.” Justin told him.

“I know, since my brother told me. But unless you’re willing to at least spend five minutes around me then we won’t know if it’s possible for me.” Brian told him. Leaving Justin confused when Brian wasn’t running to the nearest exit. Instead they spent the day with Justin’s friends and he was finding out Brian was more than just his looks.

“Can I talk to you alone?” Blake asked Brian, as Brett and Justin left to go over why Justin came to see Brett.

“As long as you promise me that you’ll talk to Ted.” Brian told him, after they were alone.

“I don’t want to hurt him, but you’re right.” Blake told him.

“I think he’d be glad to know you aren’t dead. Which is all he could think since you took off on him without a word.” Brian told him.

“When did you start caring about Ted?” Blake asked.

“I always have, which means I’m not exactly happy with you.” Brian told him.

“I care about Justin, and that means I’m not exactly happy you’re the person he’s interested in. But I’m willing to give you a chance unless you hurt him.” Blake told him.

“I don’t plan to do more than get to know him and see what makes him different than any man I know.” Brian told him.

“He is different, simply because he won’t settle for less if he falls in love with you.” Blake told him.

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

Mel opened the door to let Brandon in with Gus, still laughing over the idea of Michael being the donkey for the party Saturday. Mel wondered if Lindsay wouldn’t decide to play pin the tail on the donkey, just for shits and giggles. Michael didn’t get that it wouldn’t matter what he did, they really didn’t plan to have him feature in Gus’s life. Michael had never taken an interest in Gus, and using the boy wasn’t something any of them would put up with. Michael never got why Mel and Lindsay accepted Brandon but not him.

A lot of it was that Brandon didn’t seem to think being Brian’s brother meant instant acceptance into Brian’s world. He let Brian set the pace after he found out about Brandon and his mother and wanted to have a relationship with his brother. Something that Brian tried to do with Claire; but Claire, like Michael, treated Brian like he owed her if he wanted her in his life. Brandon on the other hand wanted nothing from Brian, other than a chance to know his brother. Mel respected Brandon, because he wasn’t blaming Brian or expecting Brian to take care of him. When Gus was born, Brandon cemented his place in their lives by showing up with Brian anytime the girls or Gus needed them. 

Michael treated Brandon like a trespasser, and surprisingly Lindsay encouraged Brian to at least get to know Brandon. Mel figured it out, Lindsay was seeing Brian ten years earlier in Brandon. It wasn’t like they looked alike, it was the wariness that even Mel had seen in Brian when she first met him. Lindsay mothered Brandon, in a way Brian wouldn’t have let her do to him. Which Michael seem to take as a personal insult when Lindsay tended to ignore Michael and the attention he wanted. 

“Lindsay heard about the bet.” Mel told Brandon.

“It’s a mess. I want to kill Michael for his constant need to interfere in Brian’s life.” Brandon told her.

“I think Lindsay’s planning to beat you to it, since Michael agreed to help on Saturday.” Mel told him.

“Doing what, whining louder than the kids?” Brandon joked, changing Gus’s diaper.

“Being what he is, an ass… or in this case, a donkey.” Mel told him.

“Is there any way to make it ‘pin the tail on the donkey’?” Brandon asked, not really joking.

“Don’t give Lindsay any ideas. So what’s going on with Brian and Justin?” Mel asked, curious, but not surprised that once Brian and Justin met they’d be interested in each other.

“Let me get this out of the way, we didn’t bet over Justin.” Brandon told her.

“I didn’t think either of you would. You wouldn’t ruin your friendship with Justin over something that stupid and Brian wouldn’t hurt you with something that meaningless.” Mel told him.

“He’s really interested in Justin.” Brandon told her.

“You don’t have to convince me. Brian did that without saying a word, his actions said a lot.” Mel told him.

“Chasing after Justin convinced you?” Brandon asked.

“No, that just told me he wanted to get Justin in bed.” Mel smiled. “For the first time he isn’t willing to let Michael get away with not only hurting you but his chances with Justin. To me that says he’s not playing around.” Mel told him.

“I want to be jealous, but I also want Brian to be happier than either of us knew was possible.” Brandon told her.