MICHAEL 

I can’t find anybody, it's like they all disappeared. I called Lindsay and Mel, but like Brian and Justin, they weren’t answering my calls. I asked Ma where Emmett was when I didn’t see him at her house or Babylon.

“He said he and Ted were going out of town.” She tells me. 

“Did they tell you where?” I ask her. 

“I was getting ready for work, so I just told him to have a good time.” She tells me. 

“What about Hunter, he's been gone since yesterday?” I ask her. 

“He asked for a couple days off. Didn't you and he have plans?” She asks me. 

“No, I wouldn’t have minded doing something with him, but we didn't make any plans. I even tried Ben, and nothing again.” I tell her. 

“You need to sit Ben down and tell him you want him to come home.” She tells me. 

“It would work better if Michael asked Ben what he needs to do to make him want to come home.” Carl tells her. 

“I tried to find out what's bothering him, but he made it sound like Michael was the problem.” Ma tells him.

“You know, when a witness tells us what they see we treat it as a clue to solving a case. Ben was telling you what he sees as their problems, did either of you listen to him, or just ignore it because you didn't like what you heard?” He asks us. 

“I wanted to hang out with my friends, but they are all out of town. I thought maybe my friends could help me.” I explain to him. 

“Carl, Ben has to put effort into fixing his and Michael's problems too.” Ma tells him.

“From what I see Ben's the only one doing anything. Michael’s answer is anything but talking to Ben.” He tells her. 

I left because Carl would have kept going on and on. I called Mel again and she finally answers her phone.

“Is there some reason you haven't been answering me?” I ask her. 

“Daddy!” Jenny squealed.

“Hi Honey Bun, why are you answering Mama's phone?” I ask her. 

“Mama talk to Bian.” She tells me. 

“Is she on the other phone?” I ask her. 

“BIAN .” She tells me. 

“Can you give the phone to your mom?” I ask her. 

I wait for her to get one of the girls. After a minute I'm starting to think she forgot to get someone.  I was about to hang up, but heard Brian talking.

MEL

We got off the plane and see Brian waiting for Gus. Lindsay and I let them greet each other and kept Jenny from running to see her favorite person. I turned on my phone and didn't even bother to retrieve the messages. Michael’s been calling so much that it's getting annoying. Jenny grabs the phone to play her game. Emmett and Justin go with Lindsay to wait for Jen’s flight. We decided Brian and I would take the kids in one car and Justin and Lindsay would pick up Jen and meet us at the hotel. I buckled Jenny into the car seat, and went to help Brian load our bags in the car. We were on our way when Brian asked if Lindsay and I came to a decision about moving here.

“We both like the idea of not going back, it's not like we have families that care.” I tell him. 

“Daddy!” Jenny squealed.

“Jenny, he's my Dad not yours.” Gus tells her looking out the window. 

“Mama talk to Bian.” She tells me. 

“Yes sweetie, I'm talking to BRIAN.” I tell her. 

“I got Justin to agree to the house, so all that's left is convincing you two to move with us.” Brian tells me. 

“BIAN” Jenny looks at him smiling.  She hands me my phone and I put it on top of my purse between us.

“Are there homes nearby that Lindsay and I could look at?” I ask him. 

“Justin keeps referring to it as a mansion but it's not, the neighborhood has two houses near ours that you could afford.” He tells me. 

“How do you know what we can afford?” I ask him. 

“Ted does your books, I checked just to see if you and Lindsay would need help. Seems you’ve been doing well up there.” He tells me. 

“Not well enough for your idea of housing.” I tell him. 

“You need to let me help, I'm the one who wants us all the live in New York permanently.” He tells me. 

I smile because I knew he was going to try to pay for the house if he could, but I want Lindsay and I to do it. I turn to check on Jenny and could swear someone's calling my name. 

TED

“My work is done.” I mumble as I read through all the paperwork Brian handed me.

“It's why he hired us, to do all the hard work.” Cynthia says laughing through the phone.

“He buys a fabulous house and I get to do all the closing work. Cynthia, the building for Kinnetik NY is huge. I doubt it's going to be a branch but possibly headquarters.” I tell her. 

“Just remember that we're riding with him on this venture. I faxed what you needed. I need to check on Murph so I'll call you back.” She tells me, hanging up. 

The thing is, Brian has plans that include offices for Cynthia and I here, as well as Pittsburgh.  I'm always humbled that Brian brought me aboard his future. Jen will at least be able to take care of the closing on the house while I deal with the contractors to bring Kinnetik NY to life. 

Blake wanted to see the sights so Ben and Hunter went with him. I plan to do things after I get through all the shit Brian handed me. I was writing questions Brian needed to answer before anybody moves one thing into the new building. I always thought Emmett was the reigning Queen, until Brian showed me he will always top anyone in anything. I answer the phone so I can grumble some more to Cynthia.

“TED, I need you to tell me that they aren't fucking moving.” Michael tells me. Why didn't I look to see who was calling? 

“Look, Ben talked to Hunter and he’s planning on coming home and trying to work this out with you. You need to use this to convince your husband to come home. Hunter coming all the way to New York should show you how it's affecting him too.” I tell him.  Ready to smack myself for saying New York.

“So everyone was invited but me!!” He snarks.

“Let's see, I work for Brian so when he tells me to be somewhere, I go. Hunter’s here because he's trying to get you and Ben back together.  So no, it wasn't an invite, just me doing my job and Hunter doing yours.” I tell him. 

“I guess Emmett must work for Brian too if he was invited!” He tells me. 

“He does sometimes but in this case he wanted to apologize to Justin for his part in the bullshit last week. Before you say anything about Blake being here, I wanted my partner and I to come together. Which might be hard for you to understand since you let your partner walk out without stopping him.” I tell him, tired of the ‘Michael Against Anyone Doing What They Want Without Informing Michael’ society. 

“Then explain why Mel is looking for a fucking house that isn't in Pittsburgh!” He screeches.

“Not my place to say anything.” I hang up and dial Brian.

“Ted, I know that you have lots of things to do, so do them.” He tells me. 

“I called to tell you your secret is out, and I have no idea how.” I tell him. 

“Deb or Michael?” He asks. 

“Michael, but I'm sure after I hung up Deb won't be far behind.” I tell him. 

“I'll tell Mel phone silence for now. Which you know goes for you and Cynthia too.” He tells me. 

“I'm going to pull a Michael and blame Cynthia because I thought she was calling me.” I whine.

“Make sure Blake never hears that or you and him will be looking into Viagra.” He tells me. 

“It's a wonder you managed to keep it up after all the years of listening to Michael whine.” I tell him hanging up. 

I'm sure Carl is going to wish he snuck here with Hunter.

DEB 

Michael came in talking so fast that I couldn't understand him.

“They’re all there, nobody even thought about me. How could they change things without asking me if I was okay with it? Well I'm not staying here, I’m going to get answers from them for lying to me. I'm her fucking father and no one gets to make decisions about her without me.” He tells me. 

“Michael, what are you talking about?” I ask him. 

“All my friends went to hang out without thinking it would be a good idea if I was there. I could have talked to Justin and fixed the mess Emmett made. Then I find out Hunter went there and didn’t tell me either and that's not even the worst part.” He tells me. 

You're not making any sense. Slow down and tell me.” I tell him.

“Everyone is in New York. I overheard Mel and Brian talking about Mel buying a house in New York to live there permanently. “ He tells me. 

“Jen said something about Brian wanting to move there, maybe that's what they were talking about. You said the girls were talking about moving here.” I tell him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me Brian and Justin were talking about staying there?” He asks me. 

I've been worried about you and Ben. I'm sure they weren’t seriously going to do that. It's probably just an idea right now.” I tell him.  

“Then why was Brian saying she could look at houses in the same neighborhood?” He asks me.  

“He better not be convincing them to move near the house he bought Justin.” I tell him. 

“I didn’t think of that, but even if they do, at least it's not fucking New York. I heard Brian say New York and permanently, so I it sounds like they weren’t talking about here. I could kill Lindsay for convincing Brian that Justin should go there. It's been one headache after another. Justin should have told Lindsay to go if it was such a great opportunity.  Just because Lindsay says it, they fucking listen, no matter how bad the advice is.” He rants.

“She and Mel shouldn’t be giving anyone advice, because their answer was to run away instead of staying and letting us help. It shouldn’t matter to them what Brian wants but what’s best for everyone, and that’s not living somewhere else.” I tell him.  

“Brian is going to tell me, because I'm going there to talk to him face to face. He didn’t even call to tell us Hunter went there. Ben seems to know but didn't think he should tell ‘me’. When he and I go there, he's going to explain how he thinks I'm the one not talking to him.” He tells me. 

“I'll call Mel and Lindsay and straighten this shit out.” I tell him. 

“You obviously weren’t listening when I said Mel was with Brian too. He’s probably making it sound like it’s better to live in New York.” He tells me 

“I'm going with you. “ I tell him. 

MICHAEL 

I run home to pack a bag and come back to see Ma arguing with Carl. 

“We need to get going.” I tell her. 

“Deb, I've been patient with you about this, but if you get in that car, Michael isn’t the only person who loses a partner.” He tells her. 

“Carl, I'm just going…” 

“To get involved in something that isn't your business. They aren't moving to Mars for Christ sakes.” He tells her. 

“I want them here.” She tells him. 

“What you want doesn’t matter, it's what they want. So far you only know what Michael overheard, not what decisions they’ve made, and Michael isn’t the best person to listen to.” He tells her. 

“Fuck off, Carl. This concerns my life too.” I tell him.   

“Michael, don't talk to Carl like that. Go by yourself if that's your attitude.” She tells me. 

“Fine, but don't expect me to call you.” I tell her. 

I call Ben, because he needs to come with me. How could he think calling to talk to Hunter was all he should do?

“Michael.” 

“Ben, we need to go get Hunter. I can't believe you didn't call me and tell me he went to see Brian and Justin.” I tell him. 

“What part bothers you, Hunter taking off or him spending time with them?” He asks me.    

“Both, either. Look, are you coming with me or not?” I ask him. 

“Stay home, we'll be back tomorrow.” He practically orders me.

“You fucking went there too, without letting me know?” I ask him. 

“We'd have to have been talking to each other, which isn’t something you can do.” He tells me. 

“Trust me, we will talk when I get there.” I tell him. 

“Which won't happen since I won't be here. If you want to save this relationship go home and stay there.” He tells me angrily.

“If I don't?” I ask him. 

“Then you won't need to worry about me dying and leaving you alone. I'll do it while I'm still alive.” He tells me, hanging up. 

I turn my car around because he's serious and I can't lose him. I got home and cleaned up the kitchen, trying to do anything but get in the car and test if Ben would really walk away from me. 

My phone rings and I see Justin’s name on the phone. 

“If you're calling to tell me I'm a jackass who doesn't deserve your friendship, you're a bit late.” I tell him. 

“I’m calling because you need to get your head out of your ass.” Brian tells me. 

“Why are you calling on Justin’s phone?” I ask him. 

“Because Gus apparently needs to talk to Megan on mine.” He tells me. 

“Guess the Stud of Liberty Avenue ends with you.” I tell him. 

“It ended years ago and I'm sure they'll find a new one.” He tells me. 

“Ben’s pissed and I don't know what to do.” I tell him. 

“Fight for him.” He tells me. 

“How?” I ask him. 

“Listen to him, let him tell you things that might hurt you to hear. Then don't let him leave until he realizes you want him and only him.” He tells me. 

“Interesting advice coming from you.” I tell him. 

“It didn’t come from me.” He tells me. 

“Are you reading some Cosmo advice column?” I joke. 

“I'm just seeing if what Justin did with me could work on Ben.” He tells me. 

“What?” I ask. 

“I wanted to correct the concensus that Justin fucked his way back. In case you still think that.” He tells me sarcastically.

“Is he ever going to get over it?” I ask him. 

“It's up to him. I need you to respect him enough to leave him alone.” He tells me. 

“He and I need to talk in order for him to see that I didn’t mean what I said.” I tell him.

“No you don’t, because right now he can’t talk to you. I’m at the point where I can barely talk to you.” He tells me.

“I thought you were over it?” I ask him.

“It’s not something I ever got over, I just didn’t want to talk about it because you tend to dig bigger holes when you try to talk your way out of things. I called because I don’t need your life interfering with mine.” He tells me.

“Oh, like you talking Mel into moving Jenny to New York, which is all about you and Justin and your kids.” I tell him getting pissed again.

“Mel and Lindsay see it as a way to still be able to put up with you and Deb. It seems that neither of you can fucking understand them wanting privacy.” He tell me.

“I understand wanting that, but I go to see my kid, not bother them.” I tell him.

“I’m taking my own advice and telling you what I think of your idea of privacy.” He tells me.

“What?” I ask confused.

“I told Ben that if he wanted to make it work that he needed to tell you things, no matter how much you don’t want to hear them. So here’s me telling you things that changed my friendship with you. You can’t get it into your tiny mind that everything you do is invading our privacy. The showing up without calling, sending advice you can’t seem to listen to, to everyone. Opening your mouth and saying things, then saying ‘I don’t mean that way’. I can’t keep solving YOUR problems and I don’t need your mother telling me to do it for you. Michael, our friendship should have ended when I came to your house and you yelled that Justin had no reason to stay with me. Did it enter your mind when I showed up acting like a deranged man that I needed a friend, not to be told I’m unlovable?” He asks me.

“You thought coming to my house UNINVITED in the middle of the night was going to have me holding your hand and lying to you about why Justin left you again.” I tell him.

“I thought you were my BEST FRIEND and would listen to me tell you that I wanted Justin to come home. Not help him leave me. You keep saying that you want us to have good relationships but then you do what you can to make them worse.” He tells me.

“I do not.” I can’t believe he thinks that.

“If you stay in Pittsburgh like Ben asked, then it’s the first thing you did right in the last seven years.” He tells me.

“I looked out for you and Justin and Mel and Lindsay. I offered Ted and Emmett my shoulder when they needed it and I was there for you when you kept screwing up with Justin.” He isn’t going to say I screw up everything.

“You know, when I was waiting at the airport, I thought about my life and everyone in it. I came up with a few things, you want to hear them?” He asks me.

“It should have been how I’ve always been there for all of you.” I tell him.

“No, that your idea of helping only seems to add to the drama already going on. You call lying to Emmett about the prostitute, helping, or not grabbing Ted by the scruff of his neck and telling him that Crystal wasn’t making him more but less, helping? How about suing Mel when she was dealing with Lindsay’s affair and a new baby, was that helping her or you?” He asks me.

“Those were single things I did, not my whole history with them.” I tell him.

“I was waiting to get to the big one for me. Telling me about everything Justin did, but not once telling me what Justin was telling you. Were you still that jealous that you couldn’t help Justin with me?” He asks me.

“I told him the fucking truth, that he picked you to be in a relationship with, and he couldn’t expect you to change for him.” I tell him.

“I changed with every day he was in my life, guess you were too busy to notice it. You want to know why I encouraged Ben to go home and try to save your relationship?” He asks me.

“Because you know what Ben and I have is healthy compared to the supposed relationship you and Justin have. Ben and I don’t need other people in our relationship, because we love each other enough to forego relationship enders like that.” I tell him.

“Yet I’m with Justin and you're alone, how did your relationship work out that way?” He sneers.

“He’s coming home, so obviously it worked out. Not that you encouraging Ben had anything to do with it.” I tell him.

“It wasn’t my intention to help, but to keep you and Deb too busy to bother Justin or me. I don’t see you guys making it because it would require you to finally admit that it’s your fault for once. Deb can come to my loft and tell me to make it so you can take Dr David back, I mean Ben. I could be wrong, because Mel and Lindsay moving away from all of us helped them to see that the problem came from not talking to each other. They needed the distance from you and Deb to have the time to fix their marriage.” He tells me.

“You and Justin need distance to keep from having problems.” I tell him.

“Time's up for Kinney’s advice to the old and unreasonable. Don’t call for a while, unless it’s to tell me that you and Ben are back in stepford bliss.” He tells me and hangs up.

He really thinks that he and Justin know anything? I grab my bag and decide to go and tell them all what I think of their answers.