EMMETT 

I got to the kitchen and really wanted to turn around when I heard Deb tell Carl they needed to go see the girls and straighten them out. Carl stayed silent but I could tell he was working up to what he wanted to say with each rant Deb went on. 

“I can’t believe they would make the huge decision to have another baby and not tell us.” Deb says as she slams the frying pan on the stove.

Carl looks at me and rolls his eyes. I shrug and smile as I grab some juice from the refrigerator. We both know until she’s through to just let her rant away. I sit down and kiss Carl’s cheek for being able to love her when she gets like this. 

“Then to want someone else and not my Michael, I don’t get why they would do that. Don’t you think that they should have asked him first and not someone else?” She ask us.

“No, I think they have the right to use who they want. Honey, do you really want to go through Michael fighting with them again?” He asks her.

“Michael was worried about Jenny, he did what he thought was best. I didn’t agree with it but Michael wasn’t doing it to cause problems, only to show the girls that they had a responsibility to keep him informed.” She tells us like she doesn’t remember supporting Mel and not Michael when it happened.

“It wasn’t something Michael needed to know. If it had been about Jenny, then yes they would have a responsibility to tell Michael.” Carl tells her.

“They didn’t tell him about having another baby, don’t you think that would affect Jenny’s life?” She asks us.

“Possibly, but hopefully in a good way. Deb, why are you upset about this?” Carl asks her.

“It’s like they don’t want us doing things with the kids. I really need to talk to Justin about this, I can’t believe Brian isn’t stopping him from doing this.” She tells us.

“Deb, Brian doesn’t stop Justin from anything. Justin makes his own decisions and Brian supports him.” I tell her.

“You knew, didn’t you?” She eyes me.

“I found out, but until they made a decision, Ted and I weren’t saying anything.” I tell her.

“You should have told me, I had a right to know about it. Michael should have known before he had to find out the way they told him.” She tells me.

“Why do you and Michael think that everyone has to clear things through you two?” Carl asks her.

“We are family and you tell your family when you do anything.” She tells us.

“I guess I better call everyone and tell them that I’m thinking about retiring. I mean I shouldn’t make a decision about my life without making sure they get to voice their approval or disapproval at something that only involves you and me. Emmett before you buy anything make sure you tell Deb and Michael, they might want to tell you what they think. Hell, Ted and Blake shouldn’t make any plans to do something because they need to clear it with you and Michael before they do something you might not like. Are you hearing how what you're saying sounds?” Carl asks her.

“Michael is hurt that they didn’t include him.” She tells Carl.

“I wouldn’t have told either of you until the kid was graduating if this is what they have to deal with. We are not going to Canada to do anything, because it has nothing to do with us.” Carl tells her, throwing is napkin on the table and kissing Deb before he walks out the door.

“Why is he so upset?” Deb asks, bewildered.

“He doesn’t understand why you think it’s something you need to be involved in.” I tell her.

“Michael was so excited to go see Brian and Justin and then when he gets there, it’s like they were to busy to include him in their lives.” She tells me.

“Like Carl just said, when do they get to make decisions without a committee telling them how to do it?” I ask her.

“Why Justin and not Ted or Michael?” She asks me.

“Deb, most likely because Mel is as close with Justin as she is with Ted. Ted never wanted kids and wouldn’t have agreed. Mel knows that and wouldn’t have put him in the position where he would have to turn her down. After the things that happened with Jenny, even I would have told them not to go down that path with Michael again, if I thought it was any of my business.” I tell her.

“You're not offended they didn’t ask you?” She ask me.

“I’m not really in a place where having a kid would be something I’d want. I also would want my kid with me, not living somewhere else if I did have one. Deb, before you say Justin would want the same thing, Brian told me that they are working on a way to make that possible for Justin.” I tell her.

“Michael said they were talking about moving back. I told him to tell the girls that we will help them find a place close by so we can help them.” She tells me.

“Once again, that’s not something either of you should worry about. It’s up to them where they want to be. Don’t be surprised if they don’t want to live near all of us.” I tell her.

“Mel and Lindsay need to realize that we would be here to help if they picked somewhere that made it easier for us to get to.” She tells me.

“I think they showed you both that they were tired of everyone just popping over. They aren’t going to want to come back if they don’t have privacy to do it their way.” I tell her.

“All they ever did was fight and break up and get back together. We were only trying to help them.” She tells me.

“We could say the same for Brian and Justin, but they managed to do what made it work for them without anyone interfering.” I tell her.

“Trust me, I had to take care of a lot with those two. I’m proud of them for sticking with each other but they didn’t do it without us.” She tells me.

“We didn’t do things without them helping us either, but it’s time to let them grow up and make their own lives. Michael shouldn’t need to call you just because he feels left out. He’s there to spend time with Jenny, not anyone else.” I tell her.

“Like they couldn’t just take the kids and do things together. I’m sure Brian and Justin would have fun with Michael and Ben.” She tells me.

“Yeah but they wanted to have fun with Gus, but then that might not be what Michael wanted.” I tell her, getting up to leave, since this conversation is getting us nowhere.

“You tell Ted that he should have told me, and he’s going to hear it from me too.” She tells me as I shut the front door.

I headed out to meet Ted and Blake for breakfast but figured we better go somewhere other than the diner this morning, because Deb was on her way to work. Teddy really doesn’t need to hear it either.

“Hey Emmett, are you on your way? We’re just heading out.” Blake tells me.

“Head to anywhere but the diner, how about the bakery instead?” I suggest.

“Why?” Blake asks me.

“Captain Novotny found out his crew are about to mutiny and called the Admiral to straighten them out.” I tell him.

“Deb’s ready to hang us from the rafters I guess.” He tells me, sighing.

“Ted and everyone else who didn’t tell them. I almost asked if it’s like not informing the girls he was showing up early, but I wanted to save my balls.” I tell him.

“We’ll meet at the bakery, because Ted isn’t in the mood to play nice today. Michael called and started bitching and then got pissed when Ted didn’t seemed to be surprised about it. You are probably going to be on Michael’s shit list too, because he told Ted that if you knew and didn’t tell him that you’d hear it from him too.” He tells me, and I head in the direction of the bakery.

“I think it’s time for me to find a new place, because I want to still be friends with them.” I tell him.

“Like I told Ted, it will blow over, just give it time.” He tells me.

“You are way to positive, it comes from not being around when Michael wanted Justin wiped from the planet. That was not a good time for anyone.” I tell him.

“Yet with time they managed to make up.” He tells me.

“Not without Brian making them both do it.” I tell him.

“Seems like a theme, they fight, Brian solves it. How on earth doesn’t Michael see that?” He asks me as they pull up to the bakery. I hang up and wait for them to sit down.

“Teddy could answer that for you.” I tell Blake.

“What?” He asks, texting on his phone.

“Why Michael or even Deb never realized Brian is the one who solves things. I mentioned when Brian and Justin brok… spent time apart.” I tell them because Brian will never agree they broke up.

“Brian let everyone blame him for what he did. So no one would get mad at Michael.” Ted tells us distracted.

“And what really happened?” I ask because I always want to know, and Teddy will blab when he’s distracted.

“Michael told Brian that he should have let Justin die, in the garage.” Ted tells us, texting and then looks up realizing he told us.

“WHAT!” Blake and I scream.

“Fuck, no one knows that and I found out only because someone overheard it. Do not bring this up, because Brian wouldn’t want Justin to know that Michael said something like that.” Ted tells us both.

“I can’t believe I felt sorry for Michael, you just let him come and yell at me. I’ll tell him what I think of what he did.” I tell them.

“Emmett don’t, it’s not worth the trouble it would cause. Brian let it go, so don’t bring it back up.” He tells me.

“Oh man, I feel so furious at Michael at this moment, why wasn’t I told Teddy?” I ask him.

“I don’t tell you lots of things because you can’t keep a secret, you know, like the whole baby thing.” He tells me.

“It was Blake who told me to call Brian.” I tell Teddy, smiling at a scowling Blake.”You might be devious, but I cover my ass too.” I tell Blake, laughing.

BRIAN

Gus and Justin were looking around the mall of all places. Gus wanted something to impress Megan. He and Justin were looking in the Gap, God help me. How did Gus become like my twat when it came to dressing? My phone rang and it wasn’t Michael or Deb so I figured it was safe to answer.

“Hey, look to your left.” Lindsay tells me, I look over to see her and Mel waving at me.

“Is there some reason you're following me around?” I ask her.  

“Brian we are at the mall, not a place I thought I’d ever run into you.” She tells me coming up the stairs to me.

“Somehow our son got his fashion sense from Justin.” I tell her.

“He likes the way the pants fit.” She tells me.

“Yeah, I can definitely agree with that.” I tell her, watching Justin bend over.

“He does look good in them.” Lindsay teases me.

“He looks even better without them.” I smirk.

“Emmett, calm down and explain it again.” Mel tells Emmett on the phone.

“We knew, but unless Brian wanted us to know, it was better not to mention it.” She tells him.

“What’s wrong with Emmett?” I ask them.

“Emmett, I’m with Brian, so I’ll talk to you later.” Mel tells him hanging up.

“Everything okay?” Lindsay asks her.

“I guess, Emmett finally found out why Brian punched Michael.” She tells Lindsay.

“What?” I ask, because I never told anyone, just let Michael get away with his usual bullshit.

“Ted found out and told us later. We never brought it up because we felt like shit when we found out, after yelling at you.” She tell me.

“Justin never needs to hear it.” I tell them.

“Did you ever really forgive him for that?” Lindsay asks me.

“It was Mikey running at the mouth, he never thinks, just says shit. He didn’t really mean what he said.” I tell them.

“So no, you never really did.” Mel tells me and I shrug as Justin and Gus come out with bags.

“It’s in the past.” I let them know.

“Understood.” Lindsay tells me.

“Want to have lunch together?” Mel asks Justin.

“Sure, I found a book about organic versus store bought baby food. How do you feel about making food instead of using things that have chemicals in them?” Justin asks, and I smile because this is what Mel had to look forward to.

“I always thought we should have done that for Gus and Jenny.” Lindsay tells Justin, and I see Mel make faces behind their backs.

“I wonder if we should try to grow the vegetables?” Justin asks Lindsay.

“Justin have you ever grown anything that lived?” I ask him.

“No, but how hard could it be?” He tells me, smiling.

“We are going to have to stop them before we end up with a dead garden, Lindsay can’t do it either.” Mel tells me.

“I have a feeling that you and I will have to keep the baby from their great ideas.” I tell her.

“Brian, I looked at how to build a crib and it doesn’t look hard.” He tells me.

“Sunshine, why would we do that when I have a Visa to take care of it?” I smirk.

“Then I could rub your shoulders and wipe the sweat off you with my tongue.” He whispers to me.

“Brian… Brian, hey you okay?” Lindsay asks as Justin sashays off, smiling over his shoulder.

“I think I want to try the whole building a crib thing.” I tell them.