JUSTIN 

Brian sat there with my phone in his hand, scrolling through my calls.

“Michael’s never going to figure out that making ten calls a day won't solve anything.” I tell him.

“He gets it from Deb, she can be just as persistent.” He tells me. 

“I never saw her as being as bad as Michael.” I tell him. 

“It's because she loves you as much as him.” He tells me. 

“She loves you too.” I tell him. 

“Only if I take care of Michael.” He tells me, sighing.

“You know better than that, she's just never figured out that half of Michael’s problems come from everyone helping him. I also think you need to stop worrying about him and go do things with Gus. Let it be up to Ben to solve things for them.” I tell him.

“Fine, we’ll go and see if I can show my son some fashion sense.” He tells me smiling.

“I’ll meet you at the hotel, I wanted to get some numbers for Lindsay to call about jobs.” I tell him.

“Justin, if I need to butt out, so do you.” He tells me.

“Go to Gus and see if he thinks Armani is the God he should be worshiping.” I kiss him.

“Armani isn’t a God but a way to make us look like one.” He smirks, walking out.

I smiled until the door closed. I think that Deb needs to hear what Brian thinks is her version of loving him. I start looking for my phone and realize the fucker took it. Like I don’t have a home phone to use. I pick up the phone and it took me three tries to remember her number. Cell phones are becoming the death of memorization.

“Justin, how are you? Are you eating and getting sleep, and do you need me to send you anything?” She rushes out.

“I’m fine, but it sounds like everything is going crazy in Pittsburgh.” I tell her.

“Michael’s really upset about everything.” She tells me.

“It’s better than indifference, which is where Ben is headed.” I tell her.

“I mean about you and Brian. He thinks you guys are going to move there permanently and the girls are too.” She tells me.   

“We are, it’s not a thought but what we have decided.” I tell her.

“Justin, why not come home?” She asks.

“Pittsburgh is just a place, not home for us. Home is a place where we want to be. I wanted to tell you about something Brian told me.” I tell her. “He seems to think you only love him if he takes care of Michael.”

“That’s not true, he’s like my son, the way you and the guys are to me.” She tells me.

“Brian only understands actions, you know that. Your actions tell him that your love is dependent on him taking care of Michael.” I tell her. 

“I didn’t know he thought like that.” She tells me. 

“Now you do. So instead of jumping on Michael’s crazy train, get off and help me keep you in my life.” I tell her. 

“This is you telling me in your roundabout way that it’s time to let my chicks grow up.” She tells me. 

“Without trying to tell us how. You love us and we know if we need you, you're there, so take a break from trying to rule the world. Carl will probably thank you for it.” I tell her. 

“He was less than happy with me, when I tried to go with Michael tonight.” She tells me. 

“Look at it from Ben's perspective, he was left behind while Michael ran off to get involved in our lives. It's a lonely place to be when you're in a relationship.” I tell her.   

“Michael didn’t see it that way.” She tells me. 

“Did you when Vic moved out?” I ask her. 

“It's not the same.” She tells me. 

“Vic put his foot down and told you that he couldn’t keep being at your beck and call. Instead of giving him what he needed, you saw it as him not wanting you around.” I tell her. 

“How does that have anything to do with Michael?” She asks me. 

“Michael hasn't been listening to Ben when he told him his needs. If you want Michael to stand next to Ben's grave one day the way you did at Vic’s, trying to figure out how he could have kept Ben in his life, then he's headed in the right direction.” I tell her. 

“It's become that bad for them?” She asks me. 

“I honestly don't know for sure, but Ben moving out wasn't good for the relationship, trust me.” I tell her. 

“How do I help fix this for Michael?” She asks me. 

“You don’t, HE has to give Ben a reason to stay, not you. Just like Mel and Lindsay don’t need you telling them what in the end is your wants. Them not living in Pittsburgh doesn’t change the fact that you’re Jenny’s Grandmother. You need to show Brian that he's the son you tell him he is, not that his only use is to fix everything for Michael.” I tell her. 

“Are you ever going to forgive Michael?” She asks me. 

“It's not forgiving him that's my problem. I could forgive Hobbs but it doesn't change what he did or in Michael’s case, what he said. If Michael came and told me what he said instead of brushing it aside, it would at least show me he understood what he said was wrong. Instead, I get ten calls a day telling me that I need to put aside my feelings and continue working with him. We all say things that shouldn’t have been said, but growth is owning up to your actions.” I tell her. 

“I need to stop helping him gloss over everything, don’t I?” She asks me. 

“You're a mom. Like my mom, you can’t help wanting to right our wrongs. Just don’t let it become a reason to lose everything.” I tell her.  

“I love you Sunshine.” She tells me. 

“It's why I want you around for a long time. Shit, I need to go.” I tell her. 

“Call me.” She tells me, hanging up. 

I sat on the couch and realize Brian was saying “I love you” even then. 

DEB 

I hung up and looked at Carl. This man could give me the life that Vic wanted with Rodney, if I learn to keep him happy. 

“Was that your Sunshine?” He asks me. 

“Yes, and I think it's time I start listening to what you want from our relationship.” I tell him. 

“I only want us to have one that isn’t about you telling other people what to do. Michael is a grown man who can't see that Ben needs him to think of Ben first.” He tells me. 

“Carl, how about we think of us first. You want to retire and it's time for me to cut my apron strings.” I tell him. 

“Then marry me, because it's what we want.” He tells me getting down on his knees in front of me. 

“You still want to, even as angry as I've made you?” I ask him. 

“I've always wanted to, but was willing to respect your wishes.” He tells me. 

“I need to call Emmett.” I tell him, getting up. “To tell him I need help planning our wedding.” I tell him when he frowns.

“That’s a call I'm glad to hear you make.” He tells me kissing me.

I ran my hands up his arms and decide Emmett will still be there tomorrow, but my fiance is here tonight!

MEL

I watch Jen and Lindsay talking like mother and daughter. I wonder if it's because Jen isn’t judging the way we live our lives. Lindsay never had parents who listened to her. 

Brian walked in to hear Jenny squealing because her ‘Bian’ was there. Gus walked out with Brian’s phone to his ear and kept talking to the amazing Megan.

“My phone is going to die.” Brian tells him. 

“I was charging while we talked.” Gus tells him. 

“BIAN!” Jenny stomps her foot holding out her arms.

“Hey baby girl, miss me?” Brian says as he picks her up.

“You was gone for so long.” She tells him kissing him cheek.

“Sweetheart, don’t baby talk.” I tell her.

“She's three and thinks it's cute.” Gus smirks. 

“Michael knows about the move.” Brian tells me.

“How?” I ask him. 

“Not a clue.” He tells me. 

“Oh, Daddy called.” Jenny tells us, snuggling Brian.

“He did, when?” I ask her. 

“When we were driving, I gave you the phone.” She tells me. 

“And forgot to tell me?” I ask her, tickling her.

“Mama, BIAN” She tells me. 

“Brian appears and you forget.” I tell her rolling my eyes when Brian smirks.

“See, they all want me.” He tells me. 

I thought about that, was Brian bothered that I didn’t choose him? It would have made sense since he's already Gus’s father. Brian put Jenny down and gave her something from his pocket. He’s never differentiated between the kids. Michael doesn’t exactly do that, he just tends to favor Jenny more. It was something Lindsay and I managed not to do. I look at Brian smiling when Jenny hugs the Kitty doll, he really cares that she's happy.

“I never asked you if you wanted to do it again.” I tell him. 

“To me Justin’s kid is mine the way Gus is Justin’s.” He tells me. 

“Do you think it's too many fathers?” I ask him.

“Mel, you can't have kids the normal way, so you do it the only way you can. If you asked me to do it, I would have said no. We just don't have the bond that made Gus. I doubt we could see eye to eye on things.” He tells me. 

“It's the problem I have with Michael.” I tell him. 

“You chose a drama queen and expected something different?” He asks me.

“He seemed like a better choice at the time. I looked at the choices and couldn't see Ted or Emmett raising a child. Justin was so young at the time. I was having nightmares about you, so I saw Michael as an answer.” I tell him. 

“I wasn’t thrilled when you and Lindsay asked me either. I want Justin to have everything he wants, and you're giving me the chance to do that for him. He would have been happy if you'd wanted me, but I want him to have a child from him. I was waiting for him to ask me, but like he said, when we would have the time?” He asks me. 

“You would have found a way if he wanted it.” I tell him. 

“Not that these talks don't give me the warm fuzzies, but are you changing your mind?” He asks me. 

“No, just worried about your black heart.” I tell him.

“Smelly Melly worried about my feelings, I'm touched. I think I need to touch Justin to reassure me I still have my balls.” He tells me looking at Justin bending over to kiss Lindsay and his mom.

“Why does he think everyone needs him kissing them all the time?” Brian scowls. 

“Must be tough being with the one everyone loves more than you.” I smirk and kiss his cheek.

“If only I could get him in something other than cargos all the time.” He sighs. 

“I'm going to regret this but since your eyes never leave his ass in said cargos, I'm sure he’s smart enough to know you really don't care what he wears.” I tell him. 

“Nope, because naked ass is always better.” He tells me, leering at Justin. 

“TMI.” I tell him not that he's listening.

EMMETT 

I left the girls to get settled, and went to see if Ted or Blake were around. I got to Ted’s room and hoped he managed to get through with all of crap Brian shoved at him. I heard him talking to someone, but knocked anyway.

“Come in!” Ted shouted. 

I opened the door and wanted to slam it shut. I'm going to kill Brian Kinney. 

“Oh shit.” Ted says, looking from me to Drew.

“Sorry to interrupt, I'll go.” I tell them. 

“We're done, so it's fine.” Ted tells me. 

“Hey, how have you been?” Drew asks me.

“Fine, perfectly fine. You know, just doing my thing and well I'm just having the time of my life, you know.” I tell him, sounding like an idiot. 

“Great, then I'll leave you to do what you do.” Drew tells me getting up to leave.

I watch as he walks towards me, wanting to stop him but knowing I need more than he can give me. He walked right up to me and pulled me into a hug.

“I'm twenty-one. Your move.” He whispers then walks out the door.

“Emmett, if you want him, get him.” Ted tells me. 

I grab Ted and hug him for wanting only the best for me.