JUSTIN’S POV

I was sitting in the living room at Britin when someone knocked on the front door. We don’t have a lot of people just show up here. I hoped it wasn’t some salesman. I opened the door to find Gus standing there. I know I looked surprised because he still lives in Canada with the girls. I rushed him in, he looks like he hasn’t slept in a while.

“Hi Pop, I wanted to know if I could stay here for a while.” Gus asks.

“Gus this is your home. You're always welcome here.” I tell him.

Gus nodded but he looks like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. I tell him to go to his room and get cleaned up. Gus is 17 now and he stays with us whenever he gets time off from school. He should be in school now and he’s a little far from home. I want to talk to him. I gave him an hour, then knocked on his door. He was asleep. I need to call Brian.

Mia and Chad came through the door. I told them both to be quiet as they went upstairs. Gus was here and asleep. They agreed, even though I know they want to see him.

I guess I should catch you up on what is going on. Brian and I stayed together after I left. We had some problems at first, and life got in the way. I really thought it was over until he showed up one night after not speaking to each other much for three months. He told me that we either commit or he was done. He couldn’t keep running after me.

My answer was 'commit'. He was opening a small office in New York so that he could work from there. Ted told him being miserable wasn’t worth all the money in the world. We stayed in New York for two years and I found a career as an artist. Then I told him I wanted to live in our house. He told me that Cynthia wanted to take over the New York office and he wanted to go home.

We talked about what we wanted for the future. I told Brian I wanted to be a father. Brian told me he was willing. I wanted to adopt, too many children needed families and we had plenty to give a child. We found Mia first, she was sickly from her crack addicted mother. I fell in love with her large brown eyes. People overlooked her because she was three and had health issues.  We brought her home and got her healthy. She is now nine and completely Brian’s little girl. I wanted one more and the next year we found Chad. Chad was four and was hard to manage. His parents had  died when he was three. They had no relatives and were poor, so Chad was left with no one and acted out from being scared. We had to spend a lot of time with him. Chad is nine now too, but loves me best.

Brian distanced himself from Michael and Deb. Deb told Brian that he needed to think of Michael when he wanted to move to New York. Michael whined and complained that he should be first. Brian told Michael he had Ben for that. Michael was calling everyday and telling me that Brian shouldn’t have to give up his life for me. I told Michael that Brian shouldn’t have to give up his life for him. It got worse when Ben decided that he had enough and told Michael that he wanted to accept a position in Philadelphia. Michael told him they either stay in the Pitts or move to New York. Michael was not going to leave his home. Ben choose Philly. Michael and Deb called, demanding Brian be there for Michael. Brian stopped taking their calls.

Linds and Mel told Brian if he wanted to see Gus that he needed to help them financially. Mel told Brian that she had all the power to stop him. I was angry and called Linds to find out what they were thinking. Linds told me I needed to stay out of it, that only Gus’s parents needed to be involved.

Brian went to an attorney and found out he was still a father. Mel and Lindsay had never filed the paperwork. He made sure that the paperwork was immediately filed for custody. The girls wanted to fight, but with no money they couldn’t. They agreed to a custody arrangement, but wanted Brian to pay an outrageous amount for support. The judge told the girls that he would pay what any father would and that the girls would need to show how Gus’s support was spent. They could use it to pay house payments or bills because those provide for Gus, but otherwise it needed to spend it on Gus.

Ted was in charge of keeping the records of expenditures. The girls were pissed. I guess they wanted Brian to support the house. Gus told me when we adopted Mia that Mel told him she guessed his Dad had replaced him. Linds called to tell Brian he was being selfish. Brian told them both not to contact him unless it was about Gus.

I guess you could say we only have a few people left in the Liberty family. Ted stayed loyal to Brian. Michael tried to make Ted listen to how Brian should have supported him. Ted said nothing until Michael called Blake and told him that he should stop sponging off of Ted. Ted stopped talking to Michael after that. Deb made everyone miserable if they didn’t side with her son. My Mom told Deb to stop trying to coddle Michael. Deb told my Mom that she was one to talk. Deb said that she had to raise me when my mother didn’t take care of me. Mom told Deb to have a good life.

Emmett is the only one who tried to remain neutral. He finally had enough when Mel, Linds, Deb, and Michael tried to convince him that Brian and Ted were in the wrong. Drew told Emmett to get out before he had to get the football team to tackle them all for upsetting Emmett.

Deb has tried to talk to me, but when I didn’t seem sympathetic to her 46-year-old baby, she told me I was an ungrateful brat. I told her that her son fit that bill better. We all stopped going to the Diner.

Now I am worried about Gus. I know the girls give him a hard time. Mel is pissed because he reminds of her Brian and Linds is mad because she isn’t living in MY house. I need to call Brian, he is away on business in Chicago. I don’t know what happened but Gus had come a long way to get here.

Ted answered Brian’s cell. I tell Ted about Gus showing up but that I didn’t know why yet. He tells me as soon as Brian is out of his meeting he’ll get him to call me. I walk into the kitchen and start making dinner. I want to stay calm for Gus.

I hear the kids and can tell Gus is with them. He walks in and hugs me. I felt him shaking. I am going to kill the girls. I whispered in his ear that we can talk when his brother and sister go to bed but let’s eat now. Gus is pretending to be happy and smiling at Mia and Chad. He is also eating like there is no tomorrow. I really look at him and realize he is awfully skinny.

When the kids went to bed, I sit with Gus in the living room and tell him I need to know how to help him.

“Pop, Mel kicked me out. JR had all these people in the house for a party and the kids were drinking and doing crystal. I called the cops when I got home. The arrested JR and Mel went ballistic. She was in my room and throwing all my things around. Mom stood there and told me that I should have just called Mel, unless I was trying to hide that it was me who threw the party... I got JR in trouble. Mel said it was probably me who threw the party but wanted to get her child in trouble, then she said that I should leave. I walked out with what I had in my backpack and got a bus ticket. I had my passport because I never took it out after the last visit. I also had some money in there but the credit card Dad gave me was still stashed in my room,” Gus tells me.

“Why didn’t you call me or your Dad? We would have gotten you,” I ask him.

“Once I was on the bus, I knew I could get here,” Gus tells me.

“How bad is it really Gus? I know you told us they were still fighting but other than that you haven’t said much about it,” I ask him because I need to know what we are going to be facing.

“Mel and Michael treat me like everything JR does is my fault, and Mom is mad at Dad so she takes it out on me. JR believes Dad is the reason Michael is having problems. She has been a bitch for years. Mel doesn’t believe that JR could do anything wrong. When they kicked me out it was kind of a relief at first. Pop, I didn’t tell you guys because Dad doesn’t need to have to deal with them,” Gus is tired so I tell him to go to bed and we will go shopping to get stuff for him in the morning.

Brian calls me back and I tell him what I know. After getting off the phone, I need to check on my oldest son. I walk into Gus’s room without knocking and know that Brian is going to kill them. Gus is covered in bruises under his shirt.

Gus tells me this was from Mel. She was throwing things at him and he got hit by books and a paperweight. I almost told Gus he needed to watch the children because I needed to take a trip. Brian is coming home in the morning. Brian and I talked and Brian thinks Gus just ran away. I told him to finish his business and I would help Gus.

BRIAN’S POV

Ted told me that Justin called about Gus. I finished my meeting and called Justin back. Gus ran from the bitches of the North. I asked Justin how he looks and he said that he looks tired and upset. I was going to go home but Justin said that he could handle it for now.

I stopped talking to the girls when they tried to blackmail me for money. I told them I wouldn’t finance a move that took Gus from me. Mel told me that if I didn’t help, I could kiss any relationship with Gus goodbye. I told her to kiss my ass. I called a lawyer who told me later that the girls never filed the paperwork so Gus is still my son legally. Linds tried to say I owed it to her for all the times that she allowed me to be in Gus’s life. I hired a lawyer and made sure there would be no support without visitation and rights.

Ted surprised me, he told me to make sure they have to account for the money they spend. I told Ted that I would like him to be in charge of that, if he felt that wouldn’t hurt his friendship with Mel. Ted told me making sure money went where it belongs was his job and if Mel wanted to make an issue of it, she isn’t doing the right thing.

Mel hasn’t been much of a mother to Gus since the custody issue was raised. Gus told me nothing bad happened and he knew that Justin and I were here if he needed us.

Deb and Michael, who were already on my shit list, tried to get involved. Deb told me I was too busy fucking Justin and turning my back on people who took care of me. I told Deb that she needed to worry about her son not growing up. Ben called me to tell me that he was leaving and didn’t want me to blindsided. Michael started calling and harassing Justin. Justin, not one to care what is wrong in Mikey’s world, hung up. We had to have our numbers changed.

Emmett, Ted, Justin, and I are no longer welcome at Liberty Diner according to Deb. She tells everyone how we selfishly turned our backs on the family. Justin told me that he was fine with it, he could get better food at McDonald's. Emmett and Ted only went to meet up with the gang anyway.

Linds and Mel joined Deb and Michael in their crusade to bring me to heel. I have my own family and don’t need their shit anymore. I swear, if Gus is hurt in any way, Mel and Linds will pay for it.

TED’S POV

After the meeting, I call Blake and tell him that Gus showed up at Britin. Blake said he would call in the morning and see if Justin needed any help. Blake and Justin are really good friends. Blake wasn’t made welcome by Michael, Deb, or the girls. Justin told me if I didn’t hold Blake’s past against him than neither would he.

Michael took every chance to say something snide about Blake and try to play it off by saying he was kidding. I was done when he told Blake that he should sponge off someone else. I told Michael that Blake has a job and helps people like me get back their lives. Michael said that people like that should be left for dead, they’re a waste of time. I walked out of Deb’s and we have never returned.

Mel tried to get me to side with her, but I told her that Brian is not a bank and they could stop withdrawing from that account. Mel told me I need to get my priorities straight. I asked her what about hers. She then tried to tell me they couldn’t afford basic needs, and Brian, as Gus’s father, should help provide for him. I asked if Michael was helping. Mel said this isn’t about Michael. I told her as the mother of Michael’s child she should ask him. She told me if I didn’t talk Brian into helping that we were done as friends. I told her it was nice knowing her.

Blake called me to tell me what Justin discovered. Oh fuck me.