MARILYN

“Is that everything we need to know?” Brian asks me.

“It catches us up to the present. Here is the new set of problems; Blake, and that Mel is about to get busy with Mary Ann, way ahead of schedule.” I tell them.

“It is what it is. We work with what we’re given and move on.” Justin tells me.

“Things aren’t going to run the way we remember. Little problem, Michael didn’t get his best friend trying to interfere with his and David’s relationship. And since Brian has developed Emmett’s habit of telling everything he knows, everyone in this room knows things they shouldn’t.” I tell them.

“It saves time, Michael is going to break up with David either way, what difference does it make?” Brian asks me.

“Well, it’s just that you let Michael go to make his own decisions about David.” I tell him.

“No, I pushed him to get the life that Deb wanted for him. I’ve already done that, by not trying to act like I was jealous.” Brian reasons.

“You get them back together, otherwise Michael wouldn’t have bothered.” I tell them.

“So we have the fucking party, why are you trying to make this harder?” Brian asks me.

“Okay, that would work.” I tell him.

“At least this time I don’t have to listen to everyone tell me I’m an asshole for helping Deb.” He tells Justin.

“Catch us up to that.” Emmett insists on it.

“Deb shows up at the loft and tells me that I need to let Michael have a life. She tells me he broke up with David because I kept stringing him along. Part of it was true, I didn’t like the way David treated Michael like a trophy. He got a younger man, and was showing off. So when Deb told me to do something, I did.” Brian tells them.

“Yeah, you outed him to Tracy, who thinks Michael would be a good future husband. Had everyone pissed because you hurt Mikey. It took everything I had not to tell Deb the next morning what a selfish bitch she was, for having you ostracized for Michael.” Justin tells Brian.

“Were we really bad about it?” Emmett asks.

“All of you acted like Brian should have kissed Michael’s ass for forgiveness. Yes, you were that bad. I ended up taking Brian’s present to Michael and telling him why Brian did it. I wanted Brian to have Michael, if he wanted him.” Justin tells Emmett.

“You would have let Brian go, if he wanted Michael?” Emmett asks.

“The twat took a bat to the head to save Daphne, Mel and Lindsay. So yes he would have, because he can’t be selfish like the rest of us.” Brian tells them.

“Wait, what do you mean a bat to the head?” Mel asks.

“I get bashed at my prom, by a fellow student. I end up in a coma.” Justin tells them.

“He did it to save the people Brian mentioned. He was given the choice before he started his new life. Justin didn’t feel what happens to him was as bad as what happened to the others. He told them to let him be bashed.” I  tell them.

“You let yourself be hurt to save Lindsay and me?” Mel asks.

“I was going to survive. You weren’t, it was an easy choice for me to make.” Justin tells them.

“Justin, that is a big thing. You saved a person who would push you into oncoming traffic, if she get’s what she wants.” Emmett tells him.

“It makes me a better person, I won’t be like her just to get back at her.” Justin tells us.

“I don’t want you in a coma.” Emmett grabs Justin and pulls him in his lap.

“He won’t be. And do you have to molest him?” Brian yanks Justin to him. Emmett smiles at a jealous Brian.

“We figured out that we keep Daphne with us and get Chris to the garage. We wanted to try to get him in trouble, but since we don’t know where he’ll end up, the garage is the safest place to put him.” Justin tells us.

“If Ted and I wait there to keep him from doing anything, it will be even better.” Emmett tells us.

“Brian is there with me.” Justin tells them.

“Why is Brian with you?” Mel asks him.

“I wanted him to come to my prom. I still want that.” Justin tells them.

“Brian has to do it Mel, it’s the first time Brian shows Justin his feelings.” I tell Mel. 

BRIAN

“I still don’t remember that.” Justin tells me.

“I was trying and after what Chris Hobbs did, I thought it was my fault so I pulled away.” I tell him.

“Yeah, you did. I almost killed my room, because you didn’t want to see me.” He tells me.

“Brian, you need to tell him.” Marilyn tells me.

“Tell me what? It was okay that he didn’t show up at the hospital. He was hurting too, and no one helped him.” Justin acts like it was okay, but I know it wasn’t.

“Tell him. He deserves to know.” Marilyn keeps insisting.

“I was at the hospital every night. I would leave Babylon and stay there till I had to go to work.” I tell him.

“Why didn’t you come in?” Justin asks me.

“You were almost killed because I showed up at your prom. I deserved to have to watch you and not touch you. I know, it wasn’t my fault but everyone acted like it was.” I tell him. It’s not so hard now that I know why it happened.

“How the fuck am I supposed to go home to Lindsay?” Mel blurts out.

“We're going to take a page from Justin’s book, do it for our son. I have to do something that I didn’t want to do, but your the best mother Gus could have. He needs you, so remember that is your reason.” I tell her.

“Brian, you can’t do it.” Justin tells me.

“I need Mel to have the leverage to keep Gus. Unless I make her Gus’s legal mother, Lindsay can keep Gus from her too.” I tell Justin.

“Brian, I can stay long enough to get you and I legal rights. You don’t have to give up everything.” Mel tells him.

“Why, you hated the idea of me being in Gus’s life.” I tell her.

“I didn’t see the reason I was against you. I was in love with Lindsay and I felt like a consolation prize, when you came around. I now know I was, but instead of blaming her, I took it out on you. I thought Lindsay couldn’t love me the way I wanted because you wouldn’t leave us alone. Like Deb said, I was a coward, I let Lindsay do whatever she wanted just to make her happy. That is my fault not yours.” Mel tells him.

“I did the same thing, Brian was the reason Michael didn’t love me.” Ted tells us.

“Okay lesbians, enough blaming yourselves, time to figure out how to solve everything.” I tell them.

“Marilyn what about my Dad?” Justin asks her.

“He finds out who Brian is, but we aren’t going to see him till you two hang out at Babylon.” Marilyn tells us.

“So no car crash? Cause I like my new Jeep.” I do, it’s grown on me.

“No, he is still trying to convince Jen to cut Justin out of their lives.” Marilyn tells us.

“Michael hasn’t broken up with David yet has he?” Justin asks her.

“He is trying to decide if he wants to go on vacation with him or not.” Marilyn tells us.

“If he does?” I ask.

“Michael gets back on schedule, he does everything we remember. If not you need to find a way to throw a party sooner.” Marilyn tells me. 

“Emmett that is your job, convince him to go.” I tell Emmett.

“He doesn’t listen to me.” Emmett tells me.

“Make it sound like I don’t like it.” I tell him.

“That would work.” Emmett tells me.

“Not to sound whiny, but do I get to do anything or am I just old reliable Ted?” Ted asks.

“You and I need to work on starting a company. Take Blake to rehab and we’ll get you two to meet later, without you becoming a ‘Crystal Queen’.” I tell him.

“Brian, Stockwell.” Marilyn mentions.

“You think I’m not going to take care of him when the time comes?” I tell her.

“You can’t save Jason Kemp, I know you want to Justin.” She tells Justin .

“Why not, we know what happens to him.” Justin argues.

“He left Heaven to start a wonderful life and you’ll interfere with that.” Marilyn tells him.

“Okay, I don’t like it, but I’ll leave it alone.” Justin tells her.

“I guess it’s time to make up with Deb, shit this is going to suck.” I tell them.

“At least you don’t have to go to school everyday.” Justin tells me.

“Or work in retail.” Emmett adds.

“Sit at a desk in a closet size room, man I never thought of how that symbolized the world’s view of gay men.” Ted tells us.

“What, I have an awesome job.” Mel tells us as we all look at her.

“You never seem to win a case or even get one to go to court.” Justin tells her.

“Do you really think I could have made partner if I didn’t win something?” Mel asks him.

“How am I supposed to know. I just know you didn’t seem to do anything but bitch about how being a lesbian and a woman hurt your career.” Justin tells her.

“It did, can’t sugar coat the truth. If she had been a man, do you think her partner would have pulled the same shit. Mel might have been pregnant at the time but she didn’t deserve to not be told about what they were doing.” I tell him.

“I was pregnant? I can’t get pregnant, Brian. That is why Lindsay had the baby.” Mel tells me.

“Brian.” Marilyn warns me. Fuck em.

“You were able to solve your endometriosis, you and Michael have a daughter.” I tell her.

“Why Michael, I mean Ted would be my first choice.” Mel smiles at Ted.

“That was when Emmett and Ted were being idiots and dating, it didn’t make Ted look like a good candidate, or Emmett for that matter. You didn’t want me, and Justin was only nineteen so you thought he was too young. You choose Michael, but you need too. JR is the daughter of my heart.” I want her to be here.

“Marilyn, are we going to have JR, or is it impossible now?” Justin asks her.

“JR is the child that will be born if Mel and Michael have a baby. That is all you're getting, I don’t like the way you're playing with fate.” Marilyn tells us.

“Don’t give me that shit, you didn’t seem to mind when you knew I was being fucked over by what Lindsay did. So either give us the fucking answers, or know the future is on your head.” Justin turns into the WASP I know.

“Fine, Mel suggest to Deb that you want to eventually have a kid, and you think Michael would be a good father. Michael will donate and you can freeze it until you use it in two years.” Marilyn tells us.

“We all need to go, I have to put in my notice at work. Ted you need to start arranging the loans, and when we get them, quit your job. You're about to become my right hand. Emmett deal with Michael. Justin go score higher, so you can crow about it. Mel, can you work the contracts with Ted?” I give instructions.

“Yeah, just send them to my house. I won’t have to charge you that way.” She tells me.

“No, you are going to charge me. It makes it so you can’t talk to Lindsay about it. She is going to try to find out anything. You won’t tip her off, if it’s confidentiality.” I tell her.

“You're right, but we need to get Gus straightened out, because I don’t want to be around her anymore.” Mel tells me. 

“Then invite me over to sign what we need. Let’s see how Lindsay likes the change.” I tell her.

“Can we come too, please, please? I promise to be good.” Emmett asks us.

“Brunch? She can’t act up in front of everyone.” Mel suggest.

“I promise not to fuck the priest.” I tell them.

“You better be ready to tell me that story.” Emmett tells me.

“I kind of thought that was hot, you sure we can’t do that?” Justin asks me.

“It’s a year early, so sure after you graduate we can go to the baths.” I tell him.

“Brian, you trick with Justin?” Ted asks.

“We haven’t yet, which is weird, because Justin is like the energizer bunny. Marilyn, you have some explaining on why that hasn’t been going on?” I ask her.

“Nothing I did. You aren’t twenty-nine, your sev...your mindset is older. Unlike a club boy trying to prove everyone wants him. You want to prove to Justin he was the one.” Marilyn tells me.

“I was the one, a trick didn’t make me think I was less to Brian.” Justin tells us.

“Then tell him what causes it. It will save time.” Marilyn tells Justin.

“Michael was always more important. Every Time Michael needed you, you ran out the door. Vermont was a good example, if you had promised Michael, I know you would have found a way to do it. You threw Michael a party but couldn’t even bother to get me a card. I didn’t need a party, but fuck, was it so hard to fold a piece of paper and write Happy Birthday on it? Instead of trying to keep me you had to save face in front of a bunch of queers in Babylon. I had to help Michael with the comic because you wanted me too. Even though he told me to get out of your lives, I left and you made me feel selfish for not helping Michael. Then you run around pretending not to give a shit anymore, and I believed it. It doesn’t excuse what I did, it’s just the reasoning I had at the time. We got back together and yet if Michael or Lindsay needed you you ran to the rescue. I don’t even think you ever knew, I put a gun in Hobbs mouth and that caused me to realize the Pink Posse was just as bad as Hobbs. I go to Hollywood and you didn’t seem to give a shit I was gone. You give me this half ass invitation back into your loft, I think you knew I couldn’t come home yet. When the bombing happened, you found me but took off the minute someone told you about Michael. I stayed at your club and helped get people out, then you suddenly tell me you love me out loud. It just seemed like I was always going to play second fiddle to the ‘Brian and Michael Show’. You didn’t cause me to feel that way, it was just what I thought, so please don’t get upset about this. I wouldn’t talk to you about it, because l didn’t know how.” Justin tells me.

“Michael was more important at first, we just met. I was waiting for you to leave me, so I tried not to hold on too tight. Vermont is us not talking, if I had told you I was going to lose my job, I worried how you would view me. Your birthday, I can’t and won’t make excuses for that, I wasn’t willing to show you I cared. I wanted you to be able to afford things, without the comic you weren’t going to be able to afford things. I didn’t find out until I punched him that he told you to go away. I could keep going on, but I loved you most of our life, and I promise not to do those things to you.” I tell him.

“You punch Michael?” Ted asks Brian.

“He opened his mouth and said something I should have never forgiven him for.” I don’t ever want Justin to know.

“Wow, are we going to see that?” Emmett ask Marilyn.

“Yes you are.” Marilyn tells me.

“I thought without the bashing, he wouldn’t have a reason to do it.” I tell her.

“You’ll see when it happens, but trust me everyone is going to be happy you did it.” Marilyn tells me.  

“I know what he said Brian, people overheard him. I just didn’t care what he said. Michael has foot in mouth disease, he thinks he’s helping, but he ends up saying fucked up shit.” Justin tells me. 

“I never wanted you to know I let him get away with it.” I tell him.

“Brian I left you for another man, you had the right to be bitter about it. Anyone else would have been bad mouthing me all over town, you didn’t. Don’t give Michael that much importance, he feeds off of it.” Justin tells me.

“I think I need to take you home and show you who was important to me.” I tell him.

“I know, but I don’t mind you showing me.” Justin tells me.

“God, can I please get laid. I’ve been a good boy, but for some reason I can’t get laid.” Emmett talks to the ceiling.

“I know what you mean, I got hard when Justin used that come hither voice.” Ted tells Emmett.

“Men, I’m going to watch some girl on girl. I have to get that picture out of my head.” Mel tells us.

“Everyone at the diner in the morning?” I ask them.

“Michael and Lindsay will show.” Emmett tells me.

“Let’s play then.” I tell them.