Brian reluctantly gave up the information on Ben’s whereabouts to me. He’d planned to go see Ben and find out what he knew. I convinced Brian to let me do it, because we weren’t sure how Ben would react to him. I’d always had a decent relationship with Ben, and while I didn’t understand how he could have sat there and done nothing when he knew what was going on with Mel and Lindsay, I didn’t hold it against him. Brian was on the fence, since Ben acted like Brian was somehow to blame for Michael not wanting to let go of him. Brian still wanted to come with me, and Emmett was more than happy to stick around with Patrick for us.

Brian arranged a hotel for the night, saying that way we could have a little time to ourselves. It wasn’t like our life was totally wrapped around Patrick, but nights alone were rare since it was hard on either of us to be away from our son. So my mind was more on all the things Brian and I could do to each other later in our suite when I rang the doorbell to the house Ben lived in. I’d been to the campus, only to find out that Ben was off. It seemed better that we talked in private anyway, since I wasn’t sure if he would welcome a visit from me. Ben answered the door, and once the shock of seeing me standing at his door wore off he smiled and hugged me. 

Ben let me go, looking rather happy to see me. “It’s been years and you still look the same,” He says, ushering me through the door.

I took note of pictures everywhere, including one of Hunter wearing a cap and gown, with Ben beaming next to him. “He’s doing really well, in case you wanted to know,” Ben tells me, leading me to his kitchen, waving me to a seat as he made us drinks before sitting down.

“How have you been, I mean besides the fact that your career took off?” Ben asked.

“Really good. I have a son, and I’m getting married soon. How about you? I honestly don’t know much about you now,” I asked, actually curious about how Ben’s life turned out.

“I’m really good. Mark helped me through a lot and helped me see what loving someone and having them love you back is really like,” Ben said, stopping for a second before he said what he was thinking about. “He wouldn’t let me blame Brian for the problems with Michael,” 

“Do you?” I asked.

“Not anymore. It took me time to see that I fell into the trap that Michael sets for everyone. I wanted to see him as innocent and as someone that really cares about people, but little things didn’t add up as our relationship progressed. I kept excusing Michael the way everyone else did, wanting to believe he was the guy who fought for our relationship when I tried to walk away the first time. I didn’t see that for him, having me wasn’t about love but liking that Brian was slightly jealous that we were together. Only Michael didn’t get that for Brian it wasn’t about wanting Michael, but concerns any friend would have about a person they care about going into a relationship with someone with HIV. It took me a while to see that was all Brian was really concerned about when it came to me,” He says, smiling.

“Mark helped you see it?” I ask, not ready to bring up why I really came.

“No. It was seeing you and him together the night you got back together after Ethan,” He tells me.

“What about it?” I ask.

“With Michael, Brian always seemed restless. I remember looking at you two that night and thinking he might not admit he loved you, but it was obvious to all of us you brought peace to him. It’s not a look he ever gave Michael, and at that point I figured out that while Brian tried to look out for Michael, it wasn’t more than what a brother would do. Which is why it surprised me when they...” Ben said looking apologetic for bringing it up. “I always felt awful that they hurt you,” He finished.

Which left me with the reason I came for; it was time to stop stalling. “Ben, I need to talk to you about Mel and Michael, even if you don’t want to- it’s to help both Gus and Jenny,” 

“I’ll help you any way I can. Since I didn’t when I should have,” Ben offers.

“You mean Lindsay?” I ask.

“She’s the reason I walked away. I could no longer recognize the person I was. I still don’t know how to forgive myself for sitting there while they tore away at her. I kept telling myself that it wasn’t my business, but I never thought I could be the kind of person to look the other way when someone was being hurt. Yet there I was, too busy wallowing in my own issues to stand up the way I should have for her. Instead, I started distancing myself from the whole situation, and found Mark, who made me see what kind of man I had turned into. I’ve always hoped Lindsay ended up happier wherever she went,” Ben tells me.

“She called me, and I ended up having to have her committed. She’s still not completely okay, but things have been getting  better for her lately,” I tell him.

“Hunter told me no one seemed to know what happened to her,” Ben tells me.

“After the condition she was in when I found her, I did what I thought was best to help her. She couldn’t handle anything much less to many people trying to help only to hurt her,” I tell him.

“So you did what none of us did?” Ben asked.

“I did what I would hope someone would have done for me if I’d been in the same situation. Now I need to ask you to do the same for Jenny and Gus,” I tell him.

“Ask, and if I can, I will,” He tells me.

“I don’t know if you can. What made you give up being any part of Jenny’s life?” I ask.

“I didn’t have a choice, since I wasn’t considered anything significant in her life. I might have married Michael in Canada but once on US soil, I was still just the guy Michael lived with. I tried to get Mel and Michael to agree to allow me some sort of visitation but they decided to punish me for defecting and for being unwilling to let them lie to the kids or anyone else. At first I was going to let Michael have the house, with the stipulation I was taken off the loan, but without my income Michael had no way of getting a loan. I hoped to make our separation as painless as possible, since I was the one who wanted out. Only, Mel got involved, and strangely enough while I had no rights to Jenny, Michael could have taken half of what I had worked for, since we had a domestic partnership. I chose to walk away with what I brought into the marriage, since it was all I could have. I have to be honest, at that point I just wanted to be away from it all. My health started suffering, and as selfish as it sounds, I had to think of myself first.” He tells me.

“Did you ever try to tell anyone about what happened?” I asked.

“You know what they’re like. They close ranks when they think you’ve hurt Michael. I tried to talk to Deb, hoping she could be there for Jenny, but I just hit the same wall and just couldn’t keep doing it anymore. I found a new life, and revisiting the old one only dredged up things that didn’t fit into the new one. Haven’t you done the same thing? Why go back to it?” Ben asks.

“I stayed away from Pittsburgh, but I never left my old life behind. Like you, I forged a new one, but I couldn’t stop loving parts of the old one, no matter how much I tried. I told you I was getting married,” I tell him.

“To Brian? How… I mean I’m happy for you but how did you and Brian finally get past all the crap that seemed to be working against you?” Ben asks.

“You know about him and Michael?” I ask.

“Hunter told me when it happened, and how you pretty much cut out everyone after that,” Ben tells me.

“Brian and I were already having problems, because I wanted to adopt Patrick, Lindsay’s baby. Then Michael made it so Gus didn’t want me around by making it sound like Michael and Brian would be better together and could offer a home to both him and Jenny. I walked away, which to me, was letting Michael win. Which I made easier since I’d been pushing everyone away by that point and they sided with Michael since I couldn’t explain what was going on,” I tell him.

“How did you end up back with Brian?” He asks.

“Brian was trying to be all things to everyone, but for a while he didn’t feel he could include Patrick without hurting Gus. After Michael reacted badly to Brian wanting him out of the house he bought for me, he came to me wanting us to work it out. Which we did, by keeping our life together hidden from pretty much everyone. We got fourteen years, figuring out that we didn’t need anyone to tell us how to live our lives. Only it’s no longer a secret since Gus knows, and in turn Brian isn’t willing to keep it from the people he still considers his friends. Which brings me to now, and Gus needing all the help he can get to make Jenny’s life better,” I tell him.

“I doubt she still remembers me.” Ben says, sounding sad.

“It sounds like she does. Since from what Gus says she uses it whenever David makes her feel like she doesn’t belong around him and Michael,” I tell him.

“I want to help anyway I can, but other than witnessing what Mel and Michael did to Lindsay and the way they made Gus think she abandoned them, what help could I be?” He asks.

“Character witnesses help in every case, and having you tell how you viewed the two parents of Jenny would go a long way to helping Gus and Ian.” I tell him.

“Ian?” Ben asks, and I realized just how far he distanced himself from everything.

“Gus’s boyfriend. He and Gus want Jenny to live with them, but Mel isn’t willing to see it would be better for Jenny. Mel lost her job and right now the only money she has comes from David and Michael. Which is likely why she’s letting David tell her what to do. And it doesn’t make me comfortable that all it sounds like is Mel fighting to keep the support,” I tell him.

“What is David telling her to do?” Ben asks.

“David doesn’t want Jenny to live near them. It sounds like he doesn’t like any part of Michael’s old life interfering with their relationship. Mel wants Jenny to move with her to live with her parents, who are as interested in Jenny as Lindsay’s parents are interested in anything to do with Lindsay, Gus, or Patrick. Which in case I need to say it, is none at all. Brian and I will not let Mel try what she did with Lindsay on Jenny,” I tell him.

“Using Gus?” Ben says, seeming to get where this is going.

“If it worked in the past, she thinks it will work again. Only, her timing made it so Gus wasn’t willing to talk to her. Gus was finding out about Lindsay, Patrick, and the fact that what he thought he knew wasn’t anything close to the truth. Which we all kept from him, and told him when he was dealing with guilt over the way my relationship with him was severed. We were willing to give Gus whatever time he needed, but Mel started calling, expecting him to drop everything for her problems. She didn’t know Gus found out yet, but she does now. Only she doesn’t seem to get that right now isn’t the time to demand Gus do anything, but to find a way to apologize to Gus for lying to him all his life. Brian and Ian talked to her and she went from saying she wanted Gus to convince Jenny to convert to Judaism to appease her family to what we think she was really planning,” I tell him.

“To somehow make it look like Gus was abandoning Jenny?” Ben asks.

“Pretty much. I think Mel wanted to make it look like Gus was choosing Ian over her and Jenny,” I tell him.

“You think having me on record about what I know and saw with Michael and Mel would help?” He asks.

“It wouldn’t hurt. Combined with the fact that Jenny’s old enough that a court would consider her wants if Mel wants to fight them. Jenny needs all of us to show her that it’s her who matters. Which fortunately isn’t something her two selfish parents give a shit about.” I tell him.

“Neither does David,” Ben says, sounding pissed.

“Care to explain that one?” I asked curious.

“When Michael and I split up, Hunter was still in contact with everyone. Other than Deb being angry at me for leaving Michael, everything was fine with Hunter. Michael still acted like he wanted a relationship with Hunter. Which, if I had to speculate had to do with Brian, more than Hunter,” Ben tells me.

“Michael knew Brian wouldn’t have put up with him shitting on Hunter,” Ben says, and I agree.

“Which changed when Brian stopped having anything to do with Michael. David showed back up, and Hunter had outlived his usefulness to Michael. It’s also when I stopped giving a shit what happened to anyone. I only cared that Hunter was hurt by them saying he wasn’t ever going to be anything but the hustler Michael rescued,” Ben whispers the last words as if having to say them hurt, and I agreed.

“Then help us so they don’t do the same to Jenny. Make sure they can’t win through your silence,” I tell him.

“We’ll do what Jenny needs,” Hunter says from behind me.

He plunked down in the seat, looking at me for a second. “Damn it, I still don’t stand a chance with Brian,” He jokes.

“Like you ever did, KID,” I say, leaning over to hug him.

“Sorry to eavesdrop, but Dad here still thinks I’m fragile where Michael is concerned. Although I have to say I was awed and surprised that Brian still thinks your ass is worth ten bucks,” Hunter says, shaking his head.

“He still hasn’t paid me the hundred for that night,” I joke before stopping to get serious. “I’ll completely understand if you don’t want to be involved in this. Even knowing the kind of shit Michael is capable of, it’s hard for me to imagine any parents doing that,” I tell him. 

“I don’t let it affect me anymore. But I also don’t have to have either of them in my life messing with my head and self-esteem. Instead, I used it to show myself that they were wrong about me. I won’t let them do that to Jenny, not when I can do something about it. I think David and Michael need to see that in this world money doesn’t save you.” He tells me.

“Let us know what you need and we’ll do everything to help,” Ben agrees.

“Before I go, you’re both invited to the wedding, which Emmett says is going to be next month if we don’t kill him for trying to beg, bribe, and steal anything to make it happen.” I tell him.

“I wish we could see Michael’s face when he finds out,” Hunter says, laughing.

I got up, thinking as petty as it might make me, I’d love to see it too. I texted Ted with an idea, and sent him a few pictures we’d taken of our life.

“Consider it done. Blake says ‘hi’ and he’d be happy to satisfy both of your petty little hearts,” Ted sent back.

“Oh God, what are you doing? I know that look,” Ben asks.

“What look?” Hunter asks.

“The one where Justin is planning something. Hopefully something Michael will hate,” Ben says, smiling at me.

“Brian said he wanted to stop hiding, so we will. Plus, I think Hunter should get his wish,” I tell him.

TED

Blake and I were dragging our asses into the diner after having to call in favors to get what Justin asked, done. The Pittsburgh Gazette was one of our clients and the owner was thrilled they got the story first. With my help, the editor created a whole story about Brian and Justin’s life and romance. Everyone in the business knew Brian, and all the art fans saw Justin as the hometown boy who made it. There was also the fact people still speculated on what happened to them. Now they were going to find out, with the help of Emmett’s ‘tell it to a queen’ network, and Deb, who was excited to help her boys. 

Blake helped by rounding up a couple of people to be at the diner to record the moment, only wanting to watch Michael’s reaction. 

“Should we buy earplugs for everyone?” I joke, not really since I liked my hearing and Michael at DEFCON 1 was likely to deafen all of the eastern seaboard.

“I think he’s going to finally amaze us by shutting up over the shock,” Blake tells me.

“I hate to say it but my genes mean we don’t know how to shut our traps,” Deb says, hugging Blake. “It seems all my boys are coming to their senses,” She says winking at me.

“I’ve never been happy without Ted,” Blake tells her.

“Are you going with him when he moves?” Deb asks. It’s something I’ve tried not to think about, not wanting to think about us being miles from each other.

“I can’t right now. I have patients who trust me, and I don’t want to lose the ground we’ve made. After that if I can find a job than it’s an option Ted and I will talk about. Until then, Ted will just have to make all my weekends and holidays.” Blake tells her, as Michael stands there rolling his eyes at me.

“Jesus, not again. I thought Ted finally tossed out all the trash in his life,” Michael sneers at Blake.

“I think he did. Since from what I’ve heard he got you out of his life,” Blake says sweetly.

Michael ignored Blake and the snickering around us, glaring at Deb. “What’s so important that you called five times, disturbing my day?” 

“OH MY GOD!” We heard yelled as Todd came running through the door. 

“What!?” Was yelled from every direction and Blake nodded to one of his coworkers, who started recording.

Todd handed out papers that Deb supplied him, telling everyone to look at the front page of the lifestyles section. I wanted to laugh at all the people saying they knew it, and asking how they kept it a secret from Liberty Avenue. 

“What?” Michael asks when no one would tell him, since Deb told them to let her do it.

“I thought you’d like to see what all of Pittsburgh is likely going to be talking about,” Deb says, handing Michael the full page story. I watch, waiting to see what pretty much everyone here came to see. Michael blinked and blinked as if trying to make what he was seeing disappear, then gripped the pages so hard he started tearing it. He mouthed the words- that Brian Aiden Kinney was elated to announce, along with their sons Patrick and Gus, that he and Justin Cole Taylor, after fourteen years together, are to be married in New York. Michael still looks confused and reads it again, out loud, then seems to be shocked into a trance as he silently yells ‘NO’.

I was sort of disappointed to be wrong. It seems that we wouldn’t have the verbal diarrhea that Michael normally spews that got his ass in trouble. Which ends when Michael once again plays to character.

“HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO MAKE SURE HE WAS GONE. BRIAN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MISERABLE AND COME BACK. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE, NOT HIM. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? EVERYTHING IS RUINED! MY LIFE IS RUINED!” Michael says, pulling at his hair. “How could Brian do this? He had to know I would have given up David for him. You have to tell Brian that David was a mistake, and we can have it all,” Michael whispers, louder than he probably meant to, to me and Deb.

“From what it says here, the only thing Brian wants is Justin, not you,” I tell him.

“He cheated on Brian! Caused Gus to lose everything! And now, HE GETS WHAT BELONGS TO ME!” Michael says, sounding indignant.

“He made sure Gus still had a mother, and I doubt either one of them cares to hear what you have to say. Weren’t you and Mel the ones who made it so Lindsay couldn’t be there for Gus or your daughter? And while I’m airing your dirty laundry- I have a feeling you and David should both duck for cover for hurting Hunter by saying he’s never going to be anything but a hustler, and that he should just do what he’s good at and stay out of your lives!” Deb yells at the end.

That caused all of us to look at Michael in surprise, since she hadn’t told any of us that one. Michael looks around, shrinking at the glares cast his way, and the two bears who stood up come towards him.

“Oh, did I forget that I finally let Ben tell me what happened? You might want to tell David, I might not be part of his fancy little crowd, but I doubt that matters. Carl was appalled and couldn’t help telling the mayor and other chiefs around the area how his grandson was treated by Dr David Cameron and his lovely husband Michael Novotny. I made sure to tell them that we should be careful of who we let treat us. I might have named David’s clinic as a place to avoid,” Deb says, looking at the phone. “I mean, I sure wouldn’t want to pay a doctor who thinks we’re so inferior that nothing we do to improve our lives means anything,”

“Plus, we’d rather not serve the likes of them either,” Kiki says, nodding at the bears.

Michael ran like his ass was on fire, while everyone started posting it to all their pages and accounts. 

“I’m not sure who won,” Blake says laughing.

I lean over and kiss Blake. “I guess we did,” 

GUS

I called Mel after talking it over with Ian and Gabriel, who flew up at my dad’s request. Gabriel was more than willing to help us win, but suggested that we at least show we were trying to work with Mel. Gabriel managed to get us more information though people he knew. It explained why she was focused on her parents and not just moving anywhere else. 

“With what she did, the partners are blacklisting her with everyone they know. She fucked with one of their premier clients and they are doing everything they can to make him happy,” Gabriel tells us.

“Why give it to her, if the guy was that important?” I ask.

“The prenup spelled out everything, they didn’t see any reason she couldn’t push the paperwork, which is all they trusted her to do. From what my contact told me, the only clause in the prenup was cheating on either side. If it happened and was proved, the prenup was void. The husband would have lost half his assets if it was him, if it was the wife, she would lose everything the prenup promised her, which wasn’t anything to sneeze at. Neither the husband or wife were fighting over it, which in essence made it an easy case the partners tossed at Mel. Right now, there isn’t a firm willing to hire her. Even if she were to start her own practice, who would want an attorney willing to turn on a client, which is the word being shouted everywhere,” Gabriel tells us.

“With no way to work, moving in with her family would be it,” Ian comments.

“Unless she could depend on you to help her,” Gabriel adds.

“That’s not an option for us. She burned that bridge with everything she’s done with my mother and Ian,” I tell him.

“Which we can’t make this about. It’s about Jenny’s welfare, not your anger at Mel for lying to you,” Gabriel tells me.

“My anger comes from the way Mel spent our lives manipulating us, which includes Jenny,” I tell him.

“I understand that, but what you need to understand is that we need to make her be seen as unfit to continue to influence Jenny’s life. We need to not make it sound like revenge for hurting you. Which means I need to have Jenny evaluated so we can establish she’s competent to speak for herself. It helps that right now Mel wouldn’t even try to fight this in Canada, and will likely accept the offer from Deb, since I doubt she can afford to stay in a hotel long term. Brian suggested I call Deb, since this is likely to end up in Pittsburgh because of Jenny’s father. Deb and Carl agreed since this will help us from having to fight in two states,” Gabriel tells us.

“David might cut her off, from what it sounds like,” I warn.

“If he does, then he risks her being able to sue him and Michael for more child support since their income is combined as a married couple. I’m still surprised Mel didn’t use it,” Gabriel tells us.

“She was afraid of anyone finding out all the lies she told to us, David used it,” I tell him.

“Only, the truth is out there now,” Ian comments.

“Which means we give Mel something to get what we want,” Gabriel tells me.

“What?” Ian asks before I could say no one better help Mel.

“I just plan to ask why she didn’t sue for more when Michael’s income was changed through marriage. I want her to see it as a way for her to finally get back at David for controlling her,” Gabriel tells us.

“She’ll gladly accept Deb’s offer just to rub it in David’s face,” Ian states.

“While she’s filing for more child support, we’ll be filing for custody,” Gabriel says, smiling like the shark he was.

Mel showed up without Jenny, not happy to see Gabriel at the table. “Why is he here?” She asks.

“Gus and Ian came to me, wanting to work with you on what was best for Jenny Marcus-Novotny,” Gabriel tells her.

“To be with me, her mother, and yours.” Mel says to me, ignoring him.

“Mel, she hates your parents and the feeling is mutual, why not let her stay with us?” I ask, exactly the way Gabriel told me.

“It’s Mel now, is it Brian too?” She asks.

“No. It’s Dad. Because he is willing to admit I should have known the truth, and he never once told me my mother hated me,” I tell her.

“She left you behind, which isn’t loving you,” Mel states.

“Yeah she did. But you made it so she wasn’t capable of being a mother anymore. Something that apparently she’s willing to fight for now, are you?” I ask.

“Why do you think I’m not willing to just hand Jenny off?” She asks.

“Sorry to interrupt here, but can I ask you a question?” Gabriel asks.

“Gus, let him,” Ian whispered into my ear, licking it, making me shiver. I focused all my attention on Ian, and realized I didn’t need to fight with Mel. She’d have to change in a way I doubt she could, in order for us to have a relationship.

“What?” Mel asks, after a minute of me not responding.

“I looked into the child support you receive since Brian asked me to, in case you needed more with the loss of your job,” Gabriel says, stopping as Mel looked ready to explode. “I have to ask, why haven’t you ever had it reassessed? I mean once he married David, David’s income became Michael’s. Which wasn’t the case with Ben Bruckner, who courts didn’t see as a parent to Jenny at the time. But with marriage equality, and the fact that David and Michael’s income is combined into one, you have a case,” He finishes, with Mel no longer glaring.

“If he was holding Ben or Lindsay over your head, that ship has sailed,” Ian says, getting up.

“Which means there isn’t any reason either of you need to keep Jenny. Which I would have told you when I got here, but I wasn’t happy to see you once again, Gabriel. Deb kindly offered a place for me and Jenny to stay, and I think it will work out for us. Which I have you to thank for. Making it possible not to give Gus anything, the way he’s been not doing for me,” Mel says, looking at Gabriel and getting up to leave.

“I don’t think she’s ever going to give you answers,” Ian tells me.

“I don’t need them. It’s all about her, that’s the answer to everything,” I tell him.