EMMETT

Why me? I should be the one in on the action but Teddy explained that help was needed and I tend to egg everyone on. When the kids got here I could tell that they were still tired, I mean, it’s only noon. I get them all snuggled down in the bed and the crib and start to watch TV.  

An hour later they are both up and hungry so i grab the lunch that Lindsey sent with them and fed them. Three hours later I decide to call Teddy.

“Teddy where are you guys?” I ask.

“At the police station. Oh My God Em, you won’t even believe the mess here.” he says. I hear him talking to someone about bail, and you know I just want to reach into the phone and tell him to put it on speaker.

“I’m back Em. Jen and Deb are in jail and I think that Carl is going to kill Deb.” he tells me. He once again starts talking to someone else.

I go to the kids and help them with their juice boxes, I really don’t want Brian to find any stains. 

“Teddy, call me back when you can talk to me.” I yell at him.  

“Actually, we are on our way.” Teddy tells me, then hangs up.

Twenty minutes later everyone starts showing up at the loft. Mel and Linds get there first. They go to the kids and make sure I didn’t do any harm. Brian and Ted come in next. Brian goes over to Gus and holds him. Ted tells me that he’ll give me all the details as soon as we are alone. Justin, Tucker, and Jen bring up the rear, although I’m not sure this is the Jen I know and love. The girl is a mess.

“Anybody need drinks?” I play hostess.  

Jen looks over at Brian and he goes to a cabinet next to the refrigerator and grabs a bottle of wine out for Jen. She grabs the glasses. Looks like she knows her way around here.

LINDSAY

“Brian what the hell is going on? First Michael shows up at our house trying to get me to cook dinner for the four of us. After that, he tells us you are in a relationship with him and trying to get partial custody of our kids.” I tell him. 

“Linds, I really don’t want to talk about this right this second. We need to get Jen cleaned up.” Brian tells me and everyone else in the room.

I am really upset, because he owes Mel and I an explanation. We are being put in the middle of his mess with Michael. Brian just turns and walks away with Justin and Jen.  

“Mel, don’t you think he owes us an explanation?” I ask, because I need some to side with me, but nobody looks like they will.  

“Look, how about we go to your house with the kids and fill you in on the last day or two?” Ted offers.

“Linds, let’s get the kids and Ted you follow us. I think Brian and Justin have other things to take care of right now.” Mel announces.

I really want to stay, because I feel that Brian owes it to me to tell me himself. But I guess everyone is going to go to our house.  

I go over to the bathroom and ask Brian to come out.

“Brian we are going home. Ted said he would fill us in on what’s going on.” I tell him, hoping he’ll ask me to stay, but he just looks at Ted and nods.

BEN

I was trying to be the good guy and look where it gets me. Michael acting like a lunatic and Deb slapping me. I really don’t get that this all stemmed from a lunch date.  After the police station, I decide to head to Brian’s loft to get some answers.

When I get there everyone is leaving. Emmett sees me and waves me over.

“Ben, we are going to Mel and Lindsay’s house, do you want to come?  Ted and I are going to explain what we know.” Emmett tells me.

I get in Ted’s car because I don’t want to listen to Mel and Linds complain the whole way.  

“So you were involved in the fight? I mean look at your face. Deb sure is on a roll today.” Emmett is just rambling on, filling the void. Ted isn’t talking and I am silent because this day is just more than I can handle.

When we get to the girl’s house, they settle the kids down in the living room so we can see them and come into the dining room. Ted tells them about last night and I explain about my lunch with a friend.

“Wait Ben, you said at the pizza place by your campus?” Emmett butts in.

“Yes.” I tell Emmett.

“Michael told us it’s was outside a hotel.” Emmett tells me.

“There was no hotel at all. Where is Michael getting this from?” I really need to figure out what is wrong with him.

TED

I always thought I wanted excitement and thrills, but now I just want my dull old life back. And I need Justin to stay clothed in my head, but now at least I can deal with it. I think that the minute I saw him hurt, the rest just stopped being important.

I have to say that Jen, as a mother, makes Deb less like supermom. Jen defends Justin and Brian, but doesn’t live under the delusion that they do no wrong. At first when Justin came out, I really didn’t like her,  because she was defending her husband and wanting Justin to walk a ‘straight’ line for Craig. When she finally came around though, she came with a vengeance.

I know that after the bashing she wanted us away from her son, and I could see her point. I think all of us have wondered if he would have been okay if he hadn’t rocked the boat.

I didn’t have Justin’s strength at his age. He was going to live his life and everyone better stand with him or stand back. It makes us all seem like cowards. I didn’t come out till I was in college and then only because Mel was there.

I tune back in to Mel telling Emmett about the fight and Emmett has the gossip gleam in his eyes.

“Emmett do not ask about this in front of Brian and Justin. Mel told you everything and I think that any repeats of this will have Brian in your face.” I tell Emmett, hoping he is listening.   

“Guys, I am going home. Emmett, Ben, either of you need a ride?” I ask, because I just want to sleep. They both get up and take me up on my offer.

Ben wants to go home and hopes Michael shows up and maybe has come to his senses. Emmett decides that he wants to go to Woody’s, but I tell him if he goes he is going alone. So he asks to stay with me tonight and we head to my place. I call Brian on the way to see if there is anything I can do for them.

“No Ted, we’re good. I have a locksmith here changing the locks and my code is changed. I will give you a key tomorrow but you're the only one, understood?” He tells me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow around eleven, I need to sleep, and since it’s Sunday nothing is going on anywhere.” I tell Brian. I hear Justin talking but can’t make out what he is saying.

“Justin, no more. Ted has been nice to you. Ted, tomorrow I’ll make sure Justin behaves.” Brian says, then starts laughing.

Bed. That is all I want at this moment. I take a shower and walk into the living room to check on Emmett when I see the news. Who filmed the fight?

Emmett is over at my VCR and loading in a cassette to record the news.“They are going to show the fight after the commercial. Isn’t it exciting?” Emmett is clapping and I just slam the bedroom door, climb into my bed and cover my head.

DEBBIE

Everyone left and Carl isn’t letting me out. I call for the officer to get Carl. The officer turns to me and tells me that Carl told him to leave me in the cell. I can’t believe he would do this to me. I start screaming and yelling till Carl appears.

“Deb, you need to stop. I have been trying to calm down so we can talk, but if you persist in this I will leave you here tonight.” He tells me.

“Carl, you better open this door right now.” I yell.

I need to get out of here and talk to Brian. I know he couldn’t mean what he said. I also need to find Michael.

“Deb, right now I am probably the only friend you have left after what you pulled today. If I were you, I would sit down, shut up and pray that the rest of them forgive me.” Carl tells me.

“Deb, we need to talk about Michael. I don’t know why he is running all over telling everyone that Ben cheated and that he is in a relationship with Brian, but he is close to stalking.” He says this like Michael is unstable.

“Carl, there is no way Michael would make this all up.” I am trying to get him to understand that my son couldn’t have done everything that everyone is accusing him of doing.

“So, everyone else is making this up and Michael is innocent?” Carl asks me.

I really want to say yes, but even I know better.

“Carl, what have I done? God, I hit and bruised Justin, and accused Brian and Ben, how do I get them to forgive me and help Michael.” I look to Carl crying my eyes out.

“You need to leave Brian alone like he asked and not ask him for help. Ben will forgive you and Justin already has.” Carl smiles at me and opens the cell. I run into his arms.

MICHAEL

I am in my shop on the sofa trying to figure out where I went wrong.  Brian is insisting that we don’t have a relationship. I know I pushed too hard, but you know, after all these years it’s my turn.

I realize that if I want Brian, it’s time to do what Justin did. I skip the street light in my head because I need to be more original. I could sing to him, but no, he would think that was lame. Wait, the King of Babylon contest is next Saturday. Yep that is my first move. I also can steal his tricks. I need to find a way to impress him with my comic book. I can’t draw, but I can rewrite the dialog.

I also think it's time for me to start stalking him like Justin did.  The difference will be that he will want me around. Yes. This can work.

I look at the TV and see my Ma and Jen on the news. I can’t believe it, they’re fighting, and did Ma just hit Ben? See, Ma is protecting me. I knew she believed in me.