Custody

Part 1

Justin and Brian pulled up in front of Lindsay's apartment building. It was a couple of weeks since Gus had been rescued. Brian and Justin had spent a lot of time at the apartment playing with Gus and reconnecting the little boy with his former life. Brian was paying for Gus to see a therapist. They all hoped the therapist could help Gus come to terms with what had happened to him.

To all outward appearances Gus seemed much like the happy little boy he had been before the kidnapping. However, appearances are often deceiving. Lindsay knew there were still nightmares that woke Gus, nightmares that had the little boy sweating with fear and crying for help. The therapist hoped to get Gus to talk these through, but so far Gus had refused to talk to anyone about what had happened. He would clam up when anything about the kidnapping and his time in Sicily was mentioned. The therapist said it could take a while, but that didn't make any of them feel better and it wasn't stopping the nightmares.

Today was going to be a test of sorts. Brian and Justin were taking the little boy for the day, the first time since his return. They were going to go to a park, not the one where Gus had been kidnapped, but one nearby. Everybody was on edge waiting to see what would happen.

Lindsay buzzed them up and Gus opened the door with his mother standing behind him. Lindsay gave Brian a look and he tried to smile back. They were all nervous about what might happen during the outing.

"Daddy," Gus said flinging himself at his father.

"Hey, Sonny Boy, ready for an adventure?" Brian said scooping the boy into his arms.

Justin took Gus' hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Hey, Gus," he said with a big smile.

"Hi, Jus," Gus replied leaning out of his father's arms to give Justin a hug.

"I have all his stuff in this bag," Lindsay said handing it to Justin while Brian set Gus down.

"You ready to play in the park?" Brian asked his son.

There was a momentary hesitation and frown and then Gus nodded. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, let's go," Justin said taking Gus' hand and starting down the hall towards the elevator.

"If anything happens, call," Lindsay said kissing Brian's cheek.

"I'm hoping that won't be necessary," Brian replied squeezing Lindsay's shoulder reassuringly.

Brian set off down the hall to where Gus and Justin were holding the elevator for him. As Brian stepped into the elevator and the door began to close, he felt Gus' hand slide into his. He looked down at his son and smiled. Gus looked up at his father with a slight frown on his face.

"It's okay, Gus," Brian said. "We're going to have fun, and then we'll go to the diner for a hot dog. Does that sound good?"

Gus' face relaxed and he nodded.

"First step," Brian breathed to himself and looked at Justin for reassurance.

Brian drove them to a nearby park. They all got out of the Corvette, Gus having been strapped into the tiny back seat. Brian grabbed the bag Lindsay had sent with them. She always had juice boxes and a change of clothes, just in case. Justin took one of Gus' hands and Brian the other. They began walking into the park. Both Brian and Justin were waiting for Gus to swing from their arms when he raised his feet off the ground. Gus just walked along doing his best to keep up with the adult sized steps.

Justin and Brian exchanged a glance and then raised their arms so Gus could swing between them. They held their breath waiting to see what his reaction would be. Gus tensed up and kind of hung between them. They looked at each other and gave him a gentle swing. They heard Gus giggle and did it again.

"More," he said.

And they swung him back and forth breathing sighs of relief at his reaction.

"Do you want to go on the slides?" Brian asked seeing them up ahead.

Gus stopped and stared at the slides. "No," he said emphatically.

"What would you like to do?" Justin asked.

Gus looked around with a slight look of fear on his face. His eyes lighted on the sand box and he pointed to it.

"Okay," Brian said, "you can go play."

Gus stood stock still. "Come with me, Daddy," he said almost begging.

"Sure, Sonny Boy, we'll both come with you."

Brian and Justin sat on the edge of the sandbox watching Gus scoop sand with his hands and make mounds that he told them were castles or race car tracks or the moon. He pulled Jus-Bear from the bag Lindsay had sent and placed him carefully on top of one of the mounds.

"Jus-Bear is on the moon watching us," Gus declared.

"Jus-Bear sure gets around," Brian said with a chuckle.

"Is Jus-Bear looking out for you?" Justin asked.

"Jus-Bear is my best friend," Gus said grabbing the bear and squeezing him to his chest.

"What about me?" Justin asked. "And Daddy and Mommy?"

"All of you … and Jus-Bear," Gus said emphatically.

"Are you happy to be home, Gus?" Brian almost whispered.

"I love you, Daddy," Gus said crawling onto his father's lap sand and all … and Jus-Bear.

"I love you too, Sonny Boy. Are you afraid of the slides?" Brian asked wanting to see if he could get some of this out in the open.

Gus nodded and his eyes filled with tears. "Don't let them take me," he said wrapping his arms around Brian's neck.

"Never," Brian breathed fighting back his own tears. "Never again."

"We love you, Gus," Justin said rubbing the boy's back. "If you want to go on the slides we'll stand right beside you and never let you out of our sight."

Gus looked over at the slides longingly, but he shook his head. "Maybe next time," he said softly.

"Next time it is," Brian replied hugging Gus tight. "I think it's time for a hot dog. What do you say?"

"Hungry," Gus said.

They stood up and brushed off all the sand they could find. In a few minutes they were at the diner and Debbie had Gus in a huge bear hug.

"Take it easy on him, Deb. He's only five."

"He's too scrumptious for words," Debbie cooed setting the boy down and chucking his cheek. Gus giggled. "Are you ready for the usual?"

"The usually," Gus said with a giggle.

"Coming right up," Debbie laughed.

"Burgers for you guys?"

"Sure, Deb," Brian said casting caution to the wind. He knew Justin would probably eat half of his anyway.

They ate quickly with Gus wolfing down most of his hot dog. At one point Debbie had a bit of a break and sat down beside them.

"How are you doing, Gus?" she asked.

Gus frowned but said, "Fine."

Debbie looked at Brian who shrugged and shook his head meaning it might be better to leave it alone. Debbie frowned too and gave Gus an extra kiss. When they were finished eating they took Gus back to Lindsay's apartment.

When Lindsay opened the door they found her inside with Melanie and Jenny Rebecca. Mel looked daggers at them and then sidled up to Gus.

"Hi sweetie," she said squatting down beside Gus. "Do you want to see your sister?"

Gus stared at Melanie and backed up slightly, but then he nodded and went over to the carrier in which JR was sleeping. He leaned in and kissed the baby on the cheek. He patted her hand and smiled down at her.

"Why doesn't he like me?" Mel asked staring at her son.

"Maybe because you couldn't take the time to go to Europe to get him back," Brian said with a cruel edge to his voice.

"I had to look after my daughter."

"At the expense of your son," Brian added.

"Asshole!"

"Stop it, you two," Lindsay said sternly and she nodded toward Gus who was watching with wide eyes.

"I better go," Melanie said.

"Maybe that would be best," Lindsay said. "Say goodbye to Jenny Rebecca, Gus."

Gus gave the baby another kiss as Mel walked towards him.

"Do you have a kiss for me?" she asked her son.

Gus looked up at her and nodded. He gave her a peck on the cheek when she leaned down, but then ran to hide behind Brian's leg.

"I expect to see Gus regularly," Melanie said as she and her daughter swept out of the apartment.

"Not bloody likely," Brian called after her.

"Brian," Lindsay said shaking her head and looking at Gus.

"I'm afraid she rubs me the wrong way and always will," Brian said.

"Let's go, Brian," Justin said.

They each kissed the little boy and left the apartment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Brian, please, tell me what to do," Lindsay begged.

"You said you were going to support me in this, so support me," Brian replied with the glare that meant you had better keep your word.

"But she's being impossible."

"Since when is that new; she was always impossible."

"But you don't know what it's like. She makes it hell to see Jenny Rebecca. Every time I go over there she rags on me about saying I would help you petition for your parental rights for Gus. She begrudges any time that I have with our daughter. She's trying to cut me out of JR's life. I know she is."

"So Mel's a cunt. What else is new?"

"Briiaan."

"Look, maybe it's time you stopped trying to patch things up with Mel and made a clean break."

"It's not that easy. We have the children to consider."

"And do you think Gus or JR, I hate that fucking name, are going to be better off with you two sniping all the time. I know I would have gratefully had my parents go their separate ways especially if they had left me with someone else."

"That's not helping, Brian."

"I want my rights back. I have a lawyer looking into it. He seems to think I have a good chance of getting them back, especially after the whole kidnapping fiasco."

"I said I was on your side and I am. I just wish we could work this out amicably."

"Our little Melanie has never believed in doing anything amicably when there's a chance for a down and dirty fight. She thinks she can use my past against me. That's why I need you and my other so-called friends to testify that I have changed."

"And have you … changed, I mean?"

"Fuck you, Lindsay! How can you fucking ask me that?"

"I … I heard you and Justin that night I stayed at the loft. You depend on him a lot. Do you still fuck around on him?"

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"

"I … just need to know."

"We're pretty much monogamous unless we agree to something else," Brian admitted with a sigh. He couldn't look at her. He hated talking about his private life with anyone.

"You realize that the lawyers are going to ask you the same type of question and maybe even worse … even more private and personal."

"Fuck!"

"I thought you needed to realize what you're getting into. And Mel knows … a lot about your past and about your less than stellar lifestyle."

"Because you told her all about it," Brian glared.

"I'm sure I've told her things over the years, but so did you when the whole Kip Thomas fiasco came up. It's not like you haven't bragged about your lifestyle."

"When did I ever brag? I've merely stated facts."

"Bragging, facts, the lawyers are going to make you sound like a pathetic excuse for fatherhood."

"And yet you chose me," Brian smirked.

"And Melanie will be the first to say she was against it right from the outset."

"But you chose me," Brian repeated.

"And I haven't regretted it for a second. We have a beautiful son."

"How's he doing with the therapist?" Brian asked a touch of sadness in his voice. He didn't know why Gus should have been put through hell when it was Melanie the kidnappers had been after.

"She seems to think he shouldn't have any permanent scars. He seems to be forgetting the Garonis and the whole kidnapping. I just hope it doesn't come back some time in the future."

"He's a tough little kid. All us Kinneys have had to be," Brian said with a sad look on his face.

"Do you think they will bring your mother into this?" Lindsay had to ask.

"Oh fuck! They better not."

"Ever since you hired a lawyer I've been wondering what this is going to result in. I think we may all be sorry we ever started this."

"I'll never be sorry if it guarantees that I can have time with my son. He needs me."

"I'd never prevent you from seeing Gus," Lindsay promised.

"I know, but I just want it all to be official."

"As long as you're sure you know what you're getting into."

"As long as I can count on your support," Brian said staring into Lindsay's eyes.