Ted and Allen walked into the diner on Saturday morning. They saw Ben and Michael sitting in a booth and went to join them.

"Hey, Teddy," Michael grinned. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah," Ted agreed. "I remember the good old days when we used to meet here every Saturday before going to the gym."

"If Brian wasn't too stoned or drunk to make it," Michael said.

"He made it most of the time," Ted replied.

"Why do your conversations always seem to revert to Brian?" Allen asked innocently.

"Good question," Ben grinned.

"They don't always revolve around Brian," Michael said defensively. Ben raised an eyebrow. "Well, they don't."

"Only 99% of the time," Ben replied.

"I agree," Allen said. "Although I have to admit that Brian and Justin do live fascinating lives."

"Ya think?" Ted asked with a smirk that didn't begin to rival Brian's.

"Who else do we know who owns a multi-million dollar company and has a famous artist partner who's currently working on a Hollywood movie?" Ben asked.

"Um … that would be no one," Michael giggled. "Although I am part of that Hollywood movie business."

"Yes, you are," Ben said and gave his partner a kiss on the cheek. Michael smiled at him. Things were much better between them these days, and they were both happy and relieved that that was the case.

"And the interesting part of the money and fame is that Brian would give it up in an instant if it affected his marriage or his kids, anything really important to him," Ted stated.

"Really?" Allen asked.

"I saw firsthand proof of that a couple of weeks ago," Ted said.

"Do tell," Michael instructed his friend.

Ted proceeded to tell them about Brian's run-in with Pullman of Westbury Foods, and how Brian had brought Briana to the office, but had let Cynthia run things. Ted couldn't resist embellishing his role with the baby to make it look like his bringing Briana out at the last minute had somehow influenced the outcome of events. "So Brian basically told the guy to take his ten million dollar account and shove it," Ted ended.

"Wow," Allen said. "That's a lot of money to turn away."

"But you haven't heard the best part," Ted continued. "Right after, we get a call saying that Pullman doesn't have final selection of the advertising company and they still want Kinnetik involved. We got that account and several others that everyone scrambled to sign when we thought we had lost Westbury."

"That's amazing," Allen said.

"Every fucking thing that Brian touches turns to gold," Michael said with more than a tinge of jealousy.

"Michael, Brian works extremely hard for what he has. He deserves the breaks he gets because he stands by his principles," Ben stated.

"And I don't?" Michael asked glaring at his husband.

"I don't want to fight with you, Michael," Ben said trying to be conciliatory.

"I don't want to fight either, but it sounds like you think Brian is the only fucking one with principles, questionable as they may be."

"That's not what I was saying. We all have principles," Ben tried to mollify his partner.

"But none of them live up to the exalted Brian Kinney, slut of Liberty," Michael said grabbing his coat and marching out of the diner.

"Sorry," Ted said. "I didn't mean to open a kettle of fish between you two."

"I know," Ben said softly. He gathered up his coat and put down some money for their breakfasts. "I better go after him."

"See ya, Ben," Ted said.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Allen asked.

Ted let out a long sigh. "I don't think Michael has ever fully accepted that Brian has moved on. He still sees Brian as the whore of Liberty Ave. and the asshole that we all thought he was back then."

"But Brian was never truly that person, was he?" Allen asked.

Ted shook his head. "I would never have said that back then, but Brian has always been more than any of us realized … except for Justin."

"They are amazing together, aren't they?" Allen said.

"Yeah, and that's another thing Michael has never really accepted. I hope I didn't make trouble for Ben and Michael. They've been getting along better since that trip they took."

"The one Brian arranged for them?" Allen asked.

"How did you know?"

"I have my ways. I can't understand why Michael never seems to appreciate what Brian does for him."

"Michael is jealous of Brian's success, of people's acceptance of the new Brian, of Brian's principles which I so foolishly pointed out."

"Why did the talk of principles set Michael off?" Allen asked.

"Because Michael knows that if he had to choose between the Rage movie and his family, he would do his best to have both. He wouldn't tell them to fuck off like Brian would. It makes him mad that Brian takes the stands that he does. Michael would like to do the same but he doesn't have the backbone or the chutzpah to do it."

"Poor Michael."

"Yeah, and I always thought it would be poor Brian who ended up alone and miserable."

"Instead of poor Michael who has a partner he doesn't really appreciate and a life that never seems to be enough."

They both shook their heads and decided to order breakfast.

Ben caught up to Michael outside the diner, he was screaming into his cell phone.

"What do you mean, you want to kill off Zephyr? Zephyr can't die! He's a superhero and he's Rage's best friend. Rage can't work without his sidekick." Michael was furious at Brett for daring to kill off his alter ego. "No, Brett, I won't allow it. Besides, JT is only a diversion. He's not a superhero, he's a nobody. Brian, I mean Rage, just keeps him around so he can have a fuck buddy at his beck and call. No, I'll call Justin; you gave us both artistic control. I will not let you kill off Zephyr!"

Michael barely registered Ben's change in demeanor. Michael was doing it again, putting down his friends and in front of Ben and for all of Liberty Avenue to see. Ben shook his head, walking away, leaving Michael still arguing with Brett.

"Hi, Ben, what brings you here?" Cynthia asked as the big man walked into Kinnetik.

"I could ask you the same, it's Saturday."

"No rest for the weary and it's only for a few hours."

"Um, I took a chance. Is Brian in Pittsburgh today?" Ben asked nervously.

"You're in luck. Justin is in town at the gallery. The three of them are here."

"Briana's here too?"

"She's with Justin at the gallery. Brian's in his office. Go on in."

"Thank you, Cynthia." Ben walked toward Brian's office, gently knocking before entering.

"Hey Zen Ben, what brings you into my inner sanctum?"

"Brian, I really need to talk to you but it can wait if you're busy."

"I'm never too busy for you. I have plenty of time." Brian buzzed Cynthia and asked not to be disturbed. Then he got up from his desk so they both could get comfortable on the large sofa. Brian brought a couple of glasses of iced tea then settled on the sofa giving Ben his full attention. Ben took a couple of sips and steeled himself to speak.

"I don't know why I'm here. I'm a grown man, successful. I own a nice home. I have a son who is getting his masters at Penn State and I thought I had a loving and compassionate partner. Now I feel it's all a big lie." Ben looked so distraught, it almost overwhelmed Brian.

"Ben, what's wrong? Nothing's changed, has it? Hunter's doing so well. You have a wonderful home and you look so healthy. Wait a minute. Is this about Michael? I thought you guys got everything worked out."

"We did. Between us, we did. We've never been better, or so I thought. I'm having difficulty reconciling his attitude toward you and Justin. Brian, it got so much better after our trip. We had so much fun in Acapulco. When we got back, it was almost like when we first committed to each other. So loving, so sweet. But since..."

"Let me guess, since Rage, things have gotten worse. Oh, Professor, give him a fucking break. Rage is his baby. He's wanted this for so long. Think about it. I know he appears to be selfish but try to see it from his point of view."

"I'm not sure I understand you."

"Okay, then let's start at the beginning. Mikey's always just gotten by in his life. He's the son of an unmarried woman, a very unique woman. He never knew his father, not until recently anyway. He never went any further than high school. He barely acknowledged his sexual orientation. And had a nowhere job at the Big Q. His first real break was the comic book store, then you and Rage. He's so close to really getting something that he wants, it's clouding his reasoning. Ben, please, if you give up on him, it'll devastate him. He loves you, I know he loves you. Don't give up on him." Ben stared at Brian in disbelief.

"Brian, all this time, after all he's said about you, done to you, you've never stopped loving him, have you? You're always there for him whether he knows it or not, whether he wants you there or not. Why Brian? Why? It makes no sense. He takes and takes and takes from you and you always give. All he's given you is grief."

Brian sighed loudly. He got up, tore off his sweater and started to pace. "Ben!" Brian shouted then calmed. "Ben, it's hard to explain."

"Try Brian. I need to understand how you've put up with him for almost thirty years. Please tell me," Ben pleaded.

Brian crossed the room to his desk and pulled out a small bottle of Beam. "Please tell me it's after five somewhere in the world." Ben shrugged as Brian poured himself a shot, downed it, letting the amber liquid burn his throat. He offered one to Ben but he declined, preferring his iced tea.

"He gives me sanity," Brian said so softly that Ben wasn't sure he heard what he heard.

"What?"

"He gives me sanity. When we were kids, he was the only thing that kept me alive and sane. He and Debbie and Vic. If it wasn't for them, I probably would have never made it to manhood. They were like my life line. If I concentrated on him, helping him, protecting him, then I could block out all the other shit in my life. I know he always thought it was going to be me and him but I couldn't do that. Because to me, he's like my brother. I love him but I couldn't fuck him, came close once but it was all wrong."

"Even when he treats you like shit. Puts you down, puts Justin down, you still love him."

"I can't stop loving him. No more than I can ever stop loving Justin. They're both in me, in here." Brian pointed to his heart. "If I stop, I stop living." Brian waited as Ben seemed to digest what Brian told him. "Let me ask you, Professor, do you love him? Really love him? Like your whole world would crash if he ever left it." Brian watched as a tear began to roll down the face of his brawny friend.

"Yeah, I do. It would crash big time if we broke up."

Brian sat beside Ben and put his arms around him. "Then just be there for him. Try to steer him in the right direction. Brett Keller is a fucking shithead. He'll ruin Rage if we don't keep an eye on him. He may think he's running the project but he's wrong and I'm keeping an eye on things. Justin is more aware of what's going on out there than you think. He'll protect Rage and Zephyr."

"You're doing it again. Protecting him, even if he doesn't know it or care. You just keep on doing it."

"I'm Rage, Professor. It's what I do," Brian said with a smirk and his tongue in his cheek.

"You're an asshole sometimes."

"Yeah, but I'm your asshole."

"No, you're everyone's asshole. Everyone you love. Every one of us that makes up your family. Michael is one lucky sidekick."

"And you're the lucky bastard who gets to top him. Go home, Ben. Go find him and fuck some sense into him. Leave the worrying to me."

"I will and thanks, Brian."

Ben gave Brian a bear hug. Brian grunted within Ben's iron grip. As Ben walked out of Brian's office, Brian called out his last bit of advice for the day. "Go play safe and give him a kiss for me, just don't tell him." Ben's hearty laugh was Brian's reply.

Brian packed up his briefcase, grabbed his coat then grabbed Cynthia.

"Hey, watch it!" Cynthia groused.

"Out, woman. It's Saturday. Go home and make love to your man or whatever you het couples do that passes for sex nowadays. This can all wait until Monday."

"Yes, oh wise one," Cynthia snarked then turned and got a little serious. "Brian, I wasn't eavesdropping but I did hear some of what you told Ben. And it's true; you do take care of a lot of people. We're not blind; we know what you do for all of us. And we love you."

Brian gazed at his long time assistant and friend. "Get out before I do something out of character."

"What? Like being nice?"

"Something like that."

"Heaven forbid! I'll speak to you on Monday. Bye, Brian."

"Bye Cyn." Cynthia and Brian locked up Kinnetik. Brian walked Cynthia to her car then went to his car to drive to the gallery to meet up with Justin and his daughter.

*****

When Brian walked into the gallery Justin immediately turned from the painting that was being hung and smiled at his husband. Everything felt very right as soon as Brian saw that smile.

Briana was strapped to her father's chest although she was getting pretty big to do that. As soon as she saw her other father she began kicking her feet in glee.

"Hey Squirt! You happy to see me?" Brian asked taking one of her feet between his fingers. He leaned in to give Justin a long, sloppy kiss.

Bree let out a squeal and distinctly said, "Da!"

"Did you fucking hear that?" Brian gasped. "She called one of us Da."

Justin giggled. "She's been struggling to get that out for a while. I'm waiting for the rest of it." Brian raised an eyebrow. "You know, Dada, the fully formed word."

Bree studied her father's face looking back up at him as he talked. "Dada," she said as much as to say 'Why didn't you tell me that?'

Both men burst out laughing and they danced around with Bree trapped between them. She squealed with joy never having done this with her fathers before.

"Hey, what's all the racket out here?" Sidney asked as the noise brought him out of his office.

"Our daughter just said her first word!" Brian crowed. "She said Dada."

"Well, I'd hardly expect her to say anything else since she has two of them," Sidney laughed.

"Briana, honey, can you say 'Dada' for Mr. Bloom?" Justin cooed at his daughter.

"Dada," Bree said and everyone clapped and laughed like she had done something miraculous. She liked the sound of it. "Dada," she repeated.

"I bet she'd say, 'Good morning, Mr. Bloom', if you asked her," Sidney said.

"Shall we try?" Justin giggled. The other two men nodded their heads. "Bree, can you say 'Good morning, Mr. Bloom'?"

Bree looked up into the faces of all the people around her, gave a little frown, called out "Goo! Goo!" and promptly filled her diaper with the good stuff.

"Um … Brian, can you deal with this? I still have a couple more paintings to hang," Justin said hastily unbuckling Bree and holding her out towards Brian.

Brian pretended to scowl but he took his daughter willingly. "Come on, Squirt. We'll get you all fixed up while Daddy plays Mr. Bigshot with the hired help."

Justin glared at Brian and then burst out laughing. He had been caught. Brian smiled as he walked over to Bree's necessity bag that was leaning against the wall.

"Bring her into my office, Brian," Sidney said. Somehow the idea of watching Brian Kinney change a shitty diaper held some appeal for him.

"Can I use your desk?" Brian asked.

"Sure," Sidney said reluctantly realizing that he had to work off that desk for the rest of the day.

"If you pull that flowered fabric out of her bag and lay it on your desk, we won't get any nasty stuff on anybody's works of art," Brian smirked.

Sidney did as directed and then moved his chair out of the way. "There."

"Thanks," Brian said as he laid Briana down. "What has your Daddy been feeding you?" he cooed at Bree. "You smell really awful." Brian opened the diaper and turned away. His daughter seemed to have the beginnings of diarrhea or else something hadn't agreed with her digestive system.

"Is it always this bad?" Sidney asked taking a step back.

"Not usually quite this ripe," Brian said removing the offensive diaper and holding Bree up by the legs. "Can you hand me a Wet One out of the bag?"

Sidney fished around in the bag until he found the tub. He opened it and handed one to Brian.

"Don't close it. I think this is at least a three wipe job." Sidney smiled and pulled out a couple more. "In the bag there's baby powder and a tube of cream. I could use both."

Sidney watched as Brian expertly cleaned his daughter's little bum, added some cream which he rubbed into the red areas and then gave Briana a sprinkling of baby powder.

"Hand me a diaper out of the bag?" Brian asked. Sidney fished out a diaper and even opened it so Brian could quickly put it on the baby. "There we are, sweetheart. All clean and smelling so lovely," Brian whispered against Bree's neck. His warm breath made her giggle. "It was nice having an assistant, Sidney," Brian smirked. "Made thing go so much faster."

Sidney chuckled. "You did that with surgical precision."

"Thanks, it comes from months of practice."

"I never thought I'd see Brian Kinney changing diapers."

"Few have had that privilege," Brian replied tongue in cheek. "Don't spread it around. I'll never be able to live it down."

"You can count on me," Sidney said as he began placing the Wet Ones and the baby powder back in the bag. He knew Brian didn't really mean that. If nothing else he had seen the pride in Brian's eyes that he could take care of his daughter so well and so easily. "What do we do with this?" Sidney asked eyeing the dirty diaper with distaste.

"Do you have a dumpster out back?" Brian asked. "I wouldn't suggest the wastebasket unless you want eau de shit wafting through your gallery."

"There's one out there."

With a sigh Brian picked up the soiled nappy. "Can you watch her while I dispose of this?"

"It's the least I can do."

Brian walked out of the office. With a wink at Justin across the gallery, he headed for the back door. Sidney stared at Briana for a minute. She gurgled and waved at him with her little arms. After a moment he picked her up and sat down in his chair with Briana perched on his lap. That was how Brian found them when he returned.

"I see she's got you under her spell too," Brian chuckled.

"She's such a good baby, aren't you, Briana?"

"That's how she sucks you in. There's no going back afterwards."

"Like you'd want to?"

"You got me there. She's the best thing that ever happened to me after Justin and Gus and…"

"I get the picture," Sidney laughed as he continued to bounce Bree.

"I'm going to see if Justin's about ready," Brian said.

"Bree and I will be just fine," Sidney stated.

Brian went out to get his husband. "Did Keller phone you?" Brian asked.

"Yeah, he wants to kill off Zephyr."

"I know."

"Fuck! Has Michael been at you about it already?"

"No, it was Ben."

"Ben?"

"Michael's apoplectic."

"So what else is new?"

"Did you say they could kill Zephyr?"

"Of course not. He's Rage's partner. He's integral to the story."

"Does Mikey know that?"

"Probably not. Brett just came up with the lame brained idea. I put him straight."

"Then I guess I don't have to worry."

"You always worry."

"Do not."

"Yes, you do," Justin smiled as he stroked Brian's face. "And I love you for it."

"Let's go get our daughter before she falls in love with Sidney and refuses to come home with us."

"Like that's going to happen."

"Well, she might. I worry, you know," Brian said with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.