Chapter 23

Sunday afternoon everyone met in Brian and Justin's suite. Michael, Ben and JR were all packed and would leave for the airport soon. Ted arrived from his hotel room dragging his suitcase. He had managed to get a seat on the same flight as Michael. It felt good to be going home. He missed Allen even though he had had a few weekends together with his partner. It would be nice to go back to his normal life. Living in a hotel for months had its excitement but he would love to be back in his own loft in Pittsburgh.

JR and Bree were playing some kind of game on the floor with Joan watching them. Justin and Ben were sitting on the couch talking. Michael and Brian were standing by the bar with a beer talking too. Ted made his way over to them.

"It's been a great trip," Michael was telling Brian.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Brian replied.

"Thanks for paying for the hotel room. You didn't have to do that."

Ted smiled to himself. Brian was always doing things like that, making it easier for the family. No one much heard about Brian's generosity except the person it was directed at. But Ted always knew because he got the bills. He had long since stopped questioning Brian about them. It always made Brian testy. Ted just put them through and filed another check mark in the Brian Kinney good guy column.

"Hey," he said.

"Afternoon, Theodore," Brian smirked. "You all packed and ready to depart."

Ted nodded. "I'm looking forward to going home." Ted saw Brian wince and realized that Brian must be homesick too. "It'll be good to be back at Kinnetik next week. I assume you'll be in?"

"Maybe not for a few days," Brian said with a wistful look on his face. "But you never know when this bad penny will pop up."

Ted was about to say that Brian was hardly a bad penny, but then thought better of it and kept his mouth shut.

Michael laughed and said, "A very bad penny."

Ted shook his head. Sometimes Michael was still so dense.

A knock at the door to the suite drew everyone's attention. Justin went over and opened the door to find Simon, Ken and Stacey.

"We came to say goodbye to everyone," Simon said. "Found this one in the lobby of our place so we made her come with us," he grinned as he indicated Stacey.

"I hope you don't mind, Brian, Ted," Stacey said. "I felt like I needed to say one more time how great it has been working with both of you. I'm still a little worried about being on my own."

"She obviously hasn't figure out how much help I'm going to be," Ken laughed.

"Of course I know that," Stacey said quickly. "It's just…"

"You're going to be fine," Ted assured her.

"You'll be a big fat fucking success … or I'll have to come back here and kick your ass." Brian glared at Stacey.

She looked at him all serious and said, "That goes without saying, oh Great One."

Everyone cracked up. Stacey Manning had finally got Brian Kinney's number.

"You know we're only a phone call away if you need us," Brian whispered as he gave her a warm hug.

"I'm counting on that," Stacey replied. She then hugged Ted who seemed thoroughly embarrassed even though he enjoyed her appreciation.

"I think it's time we got this show on the road," Ben said. "With the airline regulations now, I don't want to leave too little time."

"Come on, JR," Michael said. "Say goodbye to everyone."

JR stood up and walked over to Justin. "Thank you for having me," she said politely and gave Justin a hug. Michael beamed at her. She went to Joan next. "Thanks for taking me places with Bree."

"You're very welcome, dear," Joan said.

"Bye, Bree, see you in Pittsburgh."

"Pitts," Bree said as she continued the game they had been playing.

"You got that right, Squirt," Brian laughed. "Mother, are you sure you don't want to take the flight back with Ted and Michael. It's a long drive."

"I'm not leaving this sweet girl any sooner than I have to," Joan said patting Bree's head.

"Okay," Brian said.

"Uncle Brian," JR said looking up at the tall man. "Thank you for inviting me. New York is great. The parade was a lot of fun."

"I thought so too," Brian said scooping her into a warm hug. "You deserved a vacation."

JR smiled. "Yeah, it was fun."

"Anytime, little lady." JR's smile rivaled Justin's.

Michael and Ben and Ted shared hugs with everyone and then suitcases in hand they were all gone. That left Ken and Simon and Stacey.

"I guess we should head out too," Simon said.

"Simon, Ken, thank you for everything you've done. We wouldn't have N'rgy if it wasn't for both of you," Brian said.

"You're very welcome, Brian," Simon replied, "and don't take too long to come back to New York."

Brian and Simon hugged each other while Ken and Justin did the same. They both went to shake hands with Joan and to kiss Bree's head. She watched them with big eyes as they walked to the door. Stacey was hugging Justin and then Brian once more for good measure. Finally they opened the door and disappeared.

''What's wrong?" Bree asked with a frown. "Where they go?" She knew there was something different about these goodbyes.

"We're going home tomorrow, Squirt," Brian said picking her up.

"Home?" Bree asked with a puzzled look. Brian was beginning to think she had forgotten all about the cottage, and now thought the hotel was her home. Suddenly her face lit up. "Gar-gar?" she asked.

"That's right, sweetheart," Justin said with a smile. "Gar-gar."

"Yay!" Bree clapped her hands.

"So, we should get most of our stuff packed up. I want to get away right after the rush hour in the morning," Brian stated.

"I'll go pack Bree's things," Joan volunteered. "I don't have much of my own here. Come help me, Bree?"

Bree ran over to Joan who took her little hand and they went into the bedroom to start collecting and packing all the things Bree had brought with her and had accumulated over the weeks they were in New York.

"Do you think everything will fit in the SUV?" Justin asked as they went into their bedroom.

"We'll make it fit. We're going home, Sunshine," Brian said as he pulled Justin against him and kissed his husband hard.

"Home," Justin breathed against Brian's chest.

*****

The next morning they checked out, paid their massive bill, and loaded everything into the SUV. Joan and Bree took the back seat, with Bree strapped into her booster seat. Brian was driving, at least until they got out of New York City.

Joan and Bree chattered away with each other. Joan tried to teach Bree to play "I Spy with My Little Eye", but Bree had trouble getting the hang of it. Finally they left the suburbs of the big city and headed onto the Interstate.

"Only a few hours," Brian sighed.

"Yeah, but we have to drop Joan off and then go to Debbie's."

"Shit! I forgot about that," Brian said with a grimace. "I just want to go to the cottage and sleep in our own bed all by ourselves."

"Who usually sleeps with us?" Justin chuckled.

"Besides you, there's Bree and sometimes Patrick and anyone else who drops by. Emmett's been trying for years," Brian teased keeping a straight face.

Justin glared at his husband. "Stop it, you big Smoosh. We'll be home in our bed later tonight, and it will be just the two of us."

"Guaranteed?"

"One hundred percent," Justin declared.

Brian smiled for the next hundred miles.

The trip was relatively quick and without incident. They stopped to eat a couple of times, knowing that Joan probably needed pee breaks. And it never hurt to stretch the old legs.

By late afternoon they were on the outskirts of Pittsburgh and soon pulled up at Joan's house. Brian got out to retrieve her suitcase from the back of the SUV. Joan undid her seatbelt and reached over to hug Briana.

"I'm going to miss being with you every day, little one," Joan said with tears in her eyes.

"She'll miss you too, Joan," Justin said.

"Thank you for everything, Justin. I enjoyed spending the time with all of you so much."

"We should be thanking you. You came when we needed help and you were great with Bree."

Joan smiled widely and then leaned forward between the seats to kiss Justin's cheek. Justin accepted the kiss but he was slightly startled. He had never seen such a show of affection from Joan before. She had been civil and polite since she and Brian had reached their reconciliation, but she had never kissed him before.

"Please keep in touch," Joan said as she climbed out of the back of the vehicle.

"Bye, Gamma," Bree called.

Joan smiled and then turned away so that Bree wouldn't see her cry. She walked toward her house, her head held high. Brian followed pulling her suitcase behind him.

"Mother, thank you again for coming to New York on such short notice. We really appreciate it."

"I had a lovely time. I think it's the best time we've ever spent together," Joan said keeping her back to Brian.

"I have to agree with you on that one," Brian said gently.

"And I love that little girl with all my heart."

"I know, Mother."

"I love you too, Brian." Joan turned and reached up to kiss Brian's cheek. Something made him reach out and give her a warm hug as she did so.

"I love you, Mom," Brian whispered in her ear.

She pulled back to look into his eyes. Her smile was radiant. "It's good to be home," she said clearing her throat.

"Yes, yes, it is," Brian replied.

Joan turned and unlocked the door to her house. Brian lifted the suitcase over the doorstep and Joan took it.

"Safe home," she whispered.

He nodded and their tender moment was over.

Brian strode back to the car. He wiped his eyes before getting back behind the wheel. Justin squeezed his thigh. Nothing more needed to be said.

They headed towards Debbie's realizing that they would probably be a little early for dinner, but they didn't feel like going to the loft. Brian was wishing he had never agreed to this dinner. All he wanted was the cottage and the life they had there.

They passed a supermarket and Brian whipped the SUV in.

"Let's get some milk and a few staples so that we don't have to bug Bobby and John and we can hole up for a few days."

"Good thinking," Justin agreed. "We can leave the milk in the back. It should be fine for a couple of hours in this temperature."

Brian nodded and they did a quick shopping run before arriving at Debbie's. The usual gang was there including Michael, Ben and JR who had only left the day before. There were hugs and kisses and welcome homes.

"Enough, already!" Brian said when the well wishes went on too long. "We can't stay all night. We have to get Bree home before too late."

"We want to hear all about New York, you little shit!" Debbie stated. "So sit down and have some pasta and tell us all about the big city."

Brian let Justin do most of the talking. Emmett and Drew were there so they chimed in periodically, as did Ted who stayed close to Allen. Gus and his mothers were also there. Gus listened to the stories for a while and made some comments about things that he and his father had done when they were in New York. When he saw Bree starting to yawn, he took her upstairs and laid her on Debbie's bed, staying with her until she fell asleep.

When he came back downstairs, Brian went over to him and they walked out the back door together. They stopped just outside the door, breathing in the cold, crisp air and looking up at the stars.

"You okay, Sonny Boy?" Brian asked.

"Yeah, and you?"

"Glad to be home, but I'd rather be at the cottage."

"I thought so," Gus said with a smile. "Can I come for a visit next weekend?"

"You can come anytime you want."

"Thanks, Dad. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back. Let's go in. I'm freezing my one good ball off."

Gus laughed and put his arm around his father's shoulder. He was almost as tall as Brian. They walked inside. In the laundry room, Debbie corralled Brian, and Gus quickly escaped.

"Why didn't you ask me to come look after Bree?" Debbie demanded. "I would have been happy to do it."

"I know, Deb, but you have Carl and your own granddaughter here. I didn't want to take you away from them."

"But, Joan…? How did that work out?"

"Surprisingly well."

"What does that mean?"

"What are you getting at, Deb? We got along fine. Joan was great with Bree and she was very cordial with everyone she came in contact with."

"This is Joan Kinney we're talking about, the Joan Kinney?"

"Of course it is. She's changed. Haven't you seen that every time she's been at a gathering?"

"Well, I guess so, but that's for a few hours at a time. This was for … weeks."

Brian chuckled. "Debbie, she was fine. Nothing untoward happened. There's no point fishing for stories of disasters, because nothing happened. Justin and I were grateful she would come to New York at the drop of a hat."

Debbie shook her head. "That doesn't sound like the Joan Kinney I know. However, I guess a leopard can change her spots."

"Or an old dog can learn a new trick," Brian smirked.

"I won't tell Joan you said that," she laughed.

"Thanks, we're finally on good terms, and I'd kinda like to keep it that way."

"I'm glad things went well in New York. Is the new company okay?"

"We hired Owen's cousin, Stacey Manning, to run it. She's a great girl. One day you'll have to meet her."

"I'd like that. You know," Debbie said thoughtfully. "I missed you while you were away. You bring us all together."

"I do?" Brian asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, look at how many times we're all at the cottage. I missed those get togethers."

Brian looked at Debbie. "I thought it was just that we had the space."

"Asshole! You know better than that. We love you, kiddo."

"I can't take any more loving for one day," Brian snarked. "It's time for us to go home."

As Brian made to go inside, Debbie caught his arm. "Thanks for inviting Michael. He hasn't stopped telling me how much fun he had, and how he enjoyed hanging out with you. JR really had a good time too."

"We all did." Brian gave Debbie a hug and then they walked back into the living room. "Sunshine, your chariot awaits. It's time to go home."

"I'll get Bree," Gus volunteered.

Goodbyes were shared, a sleeping Bree got her coat put on by her doting brother, and everyone was admonished about no phone calls or visits for at least three days.

"Especially you, Honeycutt. No more early morning visits," Brian glared.

"Moi? I wouldn't dream of such a thing, and don't call me Honeycutt."

Brian smiled and they finally got out of Debbie's house. Justin was carrying Bree and they got the still sleeping girl strapped into her seat.

"I can't wait to get home," Justin said as Brian started the SUV.

"This is the best thing to happen since the opening of N'rgy," Brian declared.

Justin smiled. Brian wasn't usually so enthusiastic about anything. It was a testament to how much the cottage meant to him, and their life there too.

When Brian finally turned into the lane leading to the cottage, his smile grew and grew. He pulled up at the cottage and stopped the car staring at the familiar building.

"It looks the same," he said.

"Yeah, perfect! Let's go in."

"You get Bree and I'll get the groceries. Let's leave everything else until tomorrow."

Justin nodded. Soon Justin had Bree sleeping in her own bed, Brian had the milk and other perishables put away, and they stood in the kitchen looking at each other.

"Feels … right," Justin whispered with a smile.

Brian nodded. "John left us a note saying they would see us in the morning, but he figured we'd like some time alone."

"John is a very smart man," Justin said as he walked into Brian's arms. "I love you, and I love our house."

"Me too," Brian smiled and kissed his partner. Let's sleep in the sun porch under the stars."

"Why you old romantic you!" Justin chuckled.

"That's me," Brian breathed into Justin's hair.

"And you can fuck me all night long," Justin promised."

"Don't know about all night," Brian said, "But I'm up for one now."

"Then let's get started," Justin said as he took Brian's hand and led him to the sun porch.